Zadok Yohanna’s move from AIK to Brighton was always going to require patience, but the Nigerian teenager has already reached the point where the question is no longer whether he belongs in English football, but how he can make himself part of Brighton’s plans, Footynaija.com reports.
The 19-year-old had only moved to Sweden from Ikon Allah Academy in Nigeria in 2025 when his performances for AIK began attracting attention across Europe. He scored five goals and provided four assists in 18 appearances before Brighton made him their record signing from the Swedish club, handing him a five-year contract.
Brighton were clear about what they saw in him. Fabian Hurzeler described Yohanna as a player that can affect games in the final third, pointing to his pace, dynamism and willingness to take defenders on. The manager also warned that the teenager would need time to adapt to the club and the Premier League.
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That adjustment has been gradual. Yohanna has made one Premier League appearance this season, coming off the bench against Aston Villa, while his involvement across the first-team squad has remained limited.
An injury has since kept him out and he is expected to return after the international break.
Ayari does not know what comes next for Yohanna
One player watching that process from close range is Yasin Ayari, who knows the route from AIK to Brighton better than most.
The Sweden international also joined Brighton from AIK before spending time on loan at Coventry City and Blackburn Rovers. He eventually established himself in Brighton’s first team, making his experience particularly relevant when assessing what might work for Yohanna.
Ayari has also tried to help the Nigerian settle since his arrival, making the relationship more than that of two former AIK players who happen to share a dressing room.
“It’s difficult to say because he hasn’t played that many matches. So we’ll see when he comes back. We can analyse it after that,” Ayari told Expressen.
When he was asked whether Yohanna should follow the same loan route that helped Ayari develop.
“We’ll see. Maybe everyone doesn’t need to take that route. He might be ready, I don’t know. But we’ll see.”
That is perhaps the fairest assessment of where Yohanna stands right now. Brighton have already seen enough to invest so much in him, but his first months in England have not yet provided enough evidence to decide whether his development is best served by regular Premier League football, another competition role at Brighton or a spell elsewhere.
