Southampton opened talks with Como over a deal for Ivan Azon on July 14th, according to Fabrizio Romano's initial report. He described an approach at a fee between nine and ten million euros.
At current exchange rates, that works out at roughly £7.7 million to £8.5 million. The72 and several other outlets carried the same figure within hours. The number has not moved since.
Where Southampton's interest stands
Southampton's first-choice target all summer was Will Lankshear. That race ended on July 22nd, when Tottenham confirmed the striker had signed for Middlesbrough. That closed off Southampton's original plan.
Saints Marching's coverage from July 19th had already pointed toward alternatives once the Lankshear approach was rejected. Azon was named as the club's most obvious fallback option.
Como signed Azon from Real Zaragoza for a reported €2 million in February 2025. He has not played a single senior minute for the Serie A side since. He spent the whole of last season out on loan instead. That gap between buying him and actually using him says plenty about where he sits in Cesc Fabregas's plans at Como.
What the numbers say about the fee
Azon spent last season on loan at Ipswich Town and helped them win automatic promotion. His FotMob player page shows five goals and four assists from that loan spell. Those numbers came in 38 Championship appearances, with an average rating of 6.49. Game time was not the issue either. He started 20 games and played 1,792 minutes.
Finishing was the problem. Those five goals came from an expected goals total of 11.46. That gap shows how often his chances went begging in front of goal this season.
Transfermarkt puts his market value at around €4 million, close to £3.4 million at current rates. Southampton's reported £7.7 million to £8.5 million approach sits well above that figure.
Saints Marching's first take on the rumour called it a deal fans would not have pictured as a Ross Stewart replacement, comparing Azon's physical, direct style to Cyle Larin and Che Adams rather than a natural finisher.
A second piece questioned the fee itself. It pointed out that £9 million looks steep for a striker who managed just five Championship goals all season.
Southampton's other options have thinned out fast. Ross Stewart left on a free transfer, Lankshear has gone to Middlesbrough, and Cameron Archer is drawing interest from West Bromwich Albion. Azon is not the name supporters were hoping for, but he may be the name left standing.
Verdict: 2/5. Azon created enough chances to suggest genuine underlying quality, but he missed far more than he scored, and Saints Marching's own coverage stops well short of calling this an exciting move.
Likelihood: 3/5. Fabrizio Romano's report was fast and widely corroborated by other outlets, and Lankshear's move to Middlesbrough has removed Southampton's main alternative, but the fee has sat unchanged for over a week with no bid or medical yet reported.
Southampton's alternatives have dried up in a hurry. Whether Azon actually arrives may come down to how much Southampton still fancies gambling on his finishing.
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