Southampton’s original Finn Azaz has now sealed himself a big move

Finn Azaz was arguably Southampton's standout performer in attack last season.

Effortlessly switching between his roles as a number ten, or as a winger, the silky Irishman would grab a sensational ten goals and seven assists in total during his debut season, resulting in BBC Sport jounralist Alex Coomber noting that he was "crucial" to their surge up the Championship table.

Tonda Eckert got so much more out of the ex-Middlesbrough playmaker when he was handed the main manager's job on the South Coast, with Azaz now widely recognised as one of the most entertaining attacking midfielders in the entire division.

Southampton have had their fair share of exciting midfielders, who can interchange between number ten and winger duties, over the years, with their original Azaz being Dusan Tadic, who used to light up the Premier League with the Saints as an equally versatile and classy figure.

Southampton's original Azaz

When Saints fans look back on the cream of the crop they once had in attack during their Premier League hayday, the enthralling Serbian must be remembered fondly.

Indeed, from 134 Premier League appearances, Tadic would collect 20 goals and 29 assists, as he constantly looked to beat the goalkeeper with an audacious strike, or set up a teammate for a chance, much like Azaz in his Championship prime.

The 2015/16 season, in particular, was the 111-time Serbia international at his frightening best in Southampton red and white, with seven goals and 14 assists collected from only 34 top-flight clashes.

Tadic's goal and assist record for Southampton by position:

The South Coast giants would finish that season in a mightily impressive 6th position as a result of Tadic's heroics, with the now 37-year-old hailed as a "clever player" at the time who spark into life at an instant, by his ex-Saints boss Ronald Koeman.

Azaz has this same spilt-second ability to get fans out of their seats with a moment of magic, as seen in the tricky number ten curling home a terrific opener against Manchester City in the FA Cup last season, when the rest of the match-up had been largely cagey.

The 25-year-old will hope he can go on to have a similarly memorable career in the big time, like Tadic, if he can steer the Saints to promotion, with his esteemed counterpart still involved with matters on the pitch at the grand age of 37.

He has won himself a big move at 37

Azaz will also be aiming for the same longetivity, with Tadic proving constantly, over the past couple of seasons, that age is just a number when your class is permanent.

Amazingly, last season, plying his trade in the Middle East, he grabbed an outrageous 24 goal contributions for Al-Wadha FC, despite being very much in the twilight years of his playing days.

With 25 goal contributions also falling into his back pocket for Fenerbahce in Super Lig action the campaign before his switch to the United Arab Emirates, Tadic will be super hungry to prove himself on the books of NEC Nijmegen this campaign to come, having previously excelled in the Eredivisie.

Indeed, the veteran is a three-time former champion in the Dutch top-flight, with a staggering 259 goals and assists amassed on the books of Ajax, after leaving the South Coast behind.

He has had a ridiculous career, to say the least, and the next tale of his well-travelled career will play out in Nijmegen shortly.

No doubt, he'll switch between playing down the wing, and as a central midfield body, with ease, with Azaz hoping to do the same back in the Championship to lift the Saints back into the Premier League.

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