Brighton may have broken their transfer record to sign Nigerian teenager Zadok Yohanna, but those who know the winger best insist the Premier League club are investing in a player whose talent has been obvious from the start, Footynaija reports.
The 18-year-old completed a €28 million move from AIK this week, putting pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at the Amex Stadium until 2031. His transfer caps a remarkable journey that began at Ikon Allah Football Academy in Kaduna before taking him to Sweden and now England.
According to AIK technical director Peter Wennberg, the first signs of Yohanna’s special ability emerged during a scouting mission to Nigeria in early 2025.
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“Herish Sadi (AIK’s head of scouting) was the first one who discovered him in Nigeria in the spring of 2025. I remember him calling me from Nigeria, and he said, ‘Peter, I’ve found a really special one’,” Wennberg said.
The scouting reports that followed quickly convinced AIK they had uncovered a rare talent.
“Sadi sent me a video. We were talking about his lateral movement, his ball control is so smooth, it’s those nerdy things that you need to feel it when you’re seeing it.
“Full ball control. Under pressure, when he’s turned, when he’s on the line dribbling, when he’s close to the box, at high speed. At low speed, he can go from 0 to 100 in a really short movement. He can be tricky. He can go inside or outside. He’s unpredictable to read for the opponent.
“When he lost the ball, he also had the right reaction. He wants to close gaps and recover the ball. And when you have those two things, it’s going to end up special.”
Yohanna initially featured for AIK’s Under-19 side after arriving from Nigeria in June 2025. Within months, he had forced his way into the senior squad and made his first-team debut in August. While he did not score in six appearances during his first season, the winger exploded this year with nine goal involvements in just 12 matches across all competitions.
Wennberg believes that progress was aided by AIK returning to its traditional focus on developing young players.
“Those changes helped our high-potential players, and Zadok bloomed out of it. That is the DNA of AIK, to work with potential,” he said.
“Having some time to adapt helped, but also the coaching setup and sporting director changed, and AIK went back to its DNA.”
Despite the growing excitement surrounding the teenager, the AIK executive has urged Brighton supporters not to expect instant results.
“The only thing that helps Brighton, AIK, Zadok, and everybody else is patience,” he said. “Trust the potential, trust the process, then it’s going to end up really good.
“When they come here, we’re not surprised to see them deliver on their potential. I am not surprised it worked out for Zadok; it was part of the plan.”
Wennberg is also convinced that Brighton’s possession-based style will allow Yohanna to showcase the qualities that made him one of Europe’s most coveted young prospects. Comfortable as a No.10 or cutting inside from the right flank, the Nigerian’s ability to accelerate, dribble and create danger in tight spaces makes him an ideal fit for Fabian Hürzeler’s side.
“If you allow him to be in free spaces, in the pocket, outside the opponent, and down near the corner flag, he can move the ball with pace and sting like a cobra. When he gets up to full pace, he can win you a free kick a lot of the time.
“He can pass and move, one touch and go. I think Brighton is the right environment for him. They have a culture of passing, giving and going. I think that suits Zadok.”
Yohanna is expected to link up with Brighton during pre-season and could make his first Premier League appearance in the coming campaign, as another exciting Nigerian talent prepares to test himself on one of football’s biggest stages.
