Brighton have pulled off what looks like one of the shrewdest pieces of Premier League deadline day business, snapping up Millwall's Azeez for a reported initial £12.5m that could rise to £15m.
Azeez caught the eye at The Den across two Championship seasons, topping the division last term with that haul of 227 open-play crosses and an expected assists from crosses figure of 6.71.
He was fourth for dribble attempts (131), ninth for shots (95), and sixth for chances created from open play (58), creating 18 big chances, the third-best return in the league.
His 9.12 xA against only seven assists suggests better finishers at the Amex could turn him into a serious weapon for the Seagulls.
Over in La Liga, PSG teenage sensation Mbaye is off to Atlético Madrid despite a glittering stint in Paris that included two Ligue 1 titles and a Champions League medal.
The 18-year-old Senegal international featured six times, including in the final, at Afcon, and played at the World Cup this summer, becoming the youngest player in PSG history to start a game in their 2024-25 title-winning season.
He ranked 11th in Ligue 1 for carries per 90 (20.0) and 12th for progressive carries (10.3), with most above him defenders naturally exploiting space, and was third for take-on-ending carries at 2.9 per 90.
Mbaye bagged a goal at both Afcon and the World Cup, and his 0.45 goals or assists per 90 for PSG last season tells its own tale.
Tottenham centre-back Danso, meanwhile, finally exits a tough Spurs spell, having been rotated behind Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven in two dysfunctional seasons.
What makes Azeez such a smart Brighton buy?
Azeez is a tricky, quick and versatile midfielder who has done it at Championship level for two seasons and now deserves his Premier League test, with Brighton long-time admirers who struck at a very reasonable fee.
If he reproduces anything close to his second-tier numbers at the Amex, Brighton will feel they have stolen one of the division's most creative wide operators.
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Source: The Guardian
