Super Eagles star Femi Azeez officially ruled out of Poland & Portugal pre-World Cup matches

Unity Cup star Femi Azeez will miss Nigeria’s high-profile friendly double-header against Poland and Portugal after his club, Millwall, blocked his release after coach Eric Chelle initially excluded him from the initial 24-man squad.

The 24-year-old winger, who scored twice and provided an assist in two matches during Nigeria’s successful Unity Cup defence in London, had been named as a replacement for Samuel Chukwueze in the squad announced on May 30.

However, he was ultimately omitted from the final list and will return to Championship duty with Millwall.

Azeez was not part of the original squad for the summer series but forced his way into Chelle’s consideration after a standout performance on his Super Eagles debut against Zimbabwe in the Unity Cup.

His form impressed Nigerians, positioning him as a potential replacement for main stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, who will also miss the friendlies.

Millwall’s decision to hold on to Azeez comes amid intense transfer speculation. The Championship club recently rejected a £20 million bid from Premier League side Ipswich Town, believing the Nigerian winger is worth closer to £30 million based on his age, pace, creativity, and rising international profile.

Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are also reportedly monitoring Azeez, with some sources suggesting an 80% probability of a Premier League move this summer.

Wayne Rooney has publicly tipped Azeez to make the jump to England’s top flight, and the timing of the Super Eagles’ friendlies may have made Millwall reluctant to risk losing their star forward during a critical pre-transfer window period.

Azeez’s absence may also be linked to the fact that he was not initially named for the friendlies, giving Millwall grounds to deny the release. The club appears confident that Azeez’s value will rise further before the transfer window closes.

Despite Azeez’s dream debut, Nigeria manager Chelle expressed reservations about the young forward’s technical shortcomings after the Zimbabwe match.

“Technically, he lost a lot of balls, so I’m not happy,” Chelle admitted in a post-match press conference. He indicated he would review Azeez’s performance before finalising the squad for Poland and Portugal, leaving the door open but not guaranteed.

Alongside Azeez, Osimhen and Lookman will miss the friendlies due to transfer and fatigue. Alhassan Yusuf and Tijani Samson are also absent after failing to secure entry visas for Poland and Portugal.

Azeez now returns to Millwall as the Championship side prepares to capitalize on interest in the in-demand star, while the Super Eagles move forward without one of the tournament’s breakout players from the Unity Cup.