Femi Azeez’s Brighton move completed at 12:40am after Millwall deadline-day wait

Millwall director of football Steve Gallen has revealed that Femi Azeez’s move to Brighton & Hove Albion was not completed until 12:40am, nearly two hours after the summer transfer window officially closed.

The Nigeria international joined the Premier League club on a four-year contract after Brighton reached an agreement with Millwall on deadline day.

Although the window closed at 11pm, the transfer was able to proceed because Millwall submitted a deal sheet before the deadline. That allowed the clubs an additional two hours to complete the formalities.

Speaking to Millwall TV, Gallen said the club did not receive confirmation that Azeez had signed for Brighton until the early hours of the following morning.

“On the last day, it was a Tuesday night, and so the transfer window closed at 11 pm. Femi did not sign for Brighton until 12:40 am, an hour and 40 minutes after the deadline,” Gallen was quoted as saying by Southwark News.

The Millwall official explained that the relevant paperwork had been submitted half an hour before the window closed, keeping the transfer alive beyond 11pm.

“How did that happen? Because as long as you get the deal sheet in before 11 pm, the deal sheet went in at 10:30 pm, then you have two more hours,” he said.

That meant the deal could still be completed until 1am. Gallen said he remained at Millwall’s training ground while waiting for the outcome.

“You’ve got until 1 am. So I was sat at the training ground, and I got a phone call at 12:40 am to say Femi had signed for Brighton,” he added.

The move remained uncertain until shortly before the extended deadline, with Millwall unsure whether Azeez would leave.

“So we did not know until 20 minutes before the end of the transfer window if he was actually going to go,” Gallen said.

Azeez departed Millwall after making 77 appearances for the club. He scored 15 goals and provided 13 assists during his time there.

His form in the 2025/26 season also saw him selected in both the PFA Championship Team of the Season and the EFL Championship Team of the Season before completing his transfer to Brighton.