Financial details emerge as Middlesbrough agree to sell Finn Azaz to Southampton
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Credit: Imago
Oliver Walton
Wed 27 August 2025 17:14, UK
Southampton have agreed a fee with Middlesbrough to sign highly-rated attacking midfielder Finn Azaz as they look to push for promotion from the Championship this season.
Southampton have endured a rocky start to life back in the second-tier, with one win, one draw and one loss from their opening three league games under new boss Will Still.
Still has arrived on the south-coast with plenty of pedigree from his time managing in Ligue 1, but his squad has been unsettled over recent weeks with numerous players rumoured to be coming in and out and deals getting done both ways.
Tyler Dibling left Southampton to join Everton recently, while star midfielder Matheus Fernandes has been linked with a move to West Ham, and so Still is eyeing up Azaz to bolster his attacking midfield ranks.
The Republic of Ireland international has been a standout in the Championship at Middlesbrough since he joined them from Aston Villa in January 2024, with 12 goals and 11 assists in 46 appearances last term.
(Credit Imago)
The Daily Mail reported last week that Southampton had submitted a £12million bid to sign Azaz, but that was duly rejected [BBC], with Boro boss Rob Edwards confirming that he remained up for selection for their game against Norwich, in which he went on to score.
Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas (27 August) has now revealed that the Saints have agreed a deal worth £15m with Middlesbrough to sign Azaz.
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The transfer is set to be made up of an initial £12m fee, with £3m in add-ons, which would represent the Teesside club’s third-highest sale in their history if met.
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The Saints’ need for new attacking reinforcements has been made clear over the last few weeks, with three of their four league goals so far coming from defenders.
Young striker Jay Robinson netted in their 1-1 draw at Ipswich, but the likes of Adam Armstrong, Cameron Archer, Ross Stewart and summer signing Damion Downs have all drawn blanks in the league up to now, with Archer scoring in their cup win at Norwich on Tuesday (26 August).
AppearancesGoalsAssists932422Azaz’s Championship career stats
That surely has to change soon, and signing a player like Azaz will go a long way to helping their promotion prospects under Still, with the Irish playmaker being one of the best in his position in the second-tier.
Azaz’s composed, cultured style of play is sure to be able to unlock those strikers, who, other than new man Downs, have all previously impressed in the Championship and are bound to score regularly with good service.
Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media
Losing Dibling, and potentially Fernandes, will serve as a blow to the Saints’ hopes of going straight back up this season, but they should have more than enough with Azaz added to their ranks.
Azaz was linked to Leeds and Bournemouth earlier in the summer, so clearly has the kind of talent that has made Premier League clubs start watching his progress, and he would surely continue to be an asset next season if they were to get promoted.