Brighton & Hove Albion have reportedly reached a full agreement with Swedish club AIK for the transfer of Nigerian youngster Zadok Yohanna, bringing the teenager closer to completing a move to the Premier League, Naija Footy reports.
According to transfer expert Florian Plettenberg, the Seagulls successfully concluded negotiations with AIK after previously reaching personal terms with the player. The deal comes after Brighton faced strong competition from several clubs across Europe for the Nigerian prospect.
Premier League sides Chelsea, Newcastle United and Manchester City had all been linked with the teenager in recent days, while German outfit RB Leipzig were also believed to be monitoring the player’s situation before Brighton moved ahead in the race.
An official announcement is now expected after the completion of the remaining formalities. The move will see Yohanna become one of the latest Nigerian players to feature in the English top flight and another young talent to emerge from the country’s growing production line of prospects.
The winger arrives in England after an encouraging campaign with AIK, where he made a bright impression with his attacking qualities. His direct style of play, pace and ability to create chances in the final third attracted attention from several top European clubs
Despite the interest from some of Europe’s biggest teams, Yohanna explained that Brighton’s reputation for developing young players influenced his decision to choose the south coast club.
“I watch Premier League games a lot, so I know the teams that use young players, and Brighton is one of them,” Yohanna said. “They are really good at developing young talents, and I think their style of play will fit me a lot.”
The teenager also admitted leaving Sweden was an emotional moment and revealed the role Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler played in convincing him to make the move. “I had a lot of good people around me who took care of me. Everyone loved me, so it was difficult to leave.”
Yohanna added: “He urged me to keep fighting and working hard. I will give everything I have and I really want to win trophies with the team.”
The Kaduna born player will now join the growing list of Nigerians playing in the Premier League and is set to become the sixth Nigerian to represent Brighton, taking the next big step in his career.
