Teenage Nigerian winger Zadok Yohanna has completed a record-breaking move to Brighton and Hove Albion from Swedish club AIK Fotboll, becoming the most expensive player ever transferred out of the Swedish league in the process, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The 18-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the Premier League club until June 2031, with the fee believed to be an initial €28m (£24.2m) plus €2m (£1.8m) in add-ons.
The transfer will be officially completed when the window opens on June 15, subject to regulatory approvals.
Yohanna’s arrival makes him Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler’s first signing of the summer and surpasses the previous Swedish league transfer record set by Lucas Bergvall’s move from Djurgarden to Tottenham Hotspur in 2024 for €20m.
The move ends a short but impactful stint at AIK, where Yohanna made 18 senior appearances across the Swedish Allsvenskan and Svenska Cupen, scoring five goals and providing four assists. He netted twice in a statement 4-0 victory over BK Hacken in the Svenska Cupen in March and recorded five goal contributions in seven top-flight games in 2026.
Brighton beat off competition from Chelsea and Newcastle United, with the latter reportedly having tabled a formal offer for the highly rated youngster before the Seagulls won the race for his signature.
Yohanna began his football journey at Ikon Allah Academy in Nigeria before moving to Sweden in June 2025. He was initially integrated into AIK’s Under-19 side, where he scored four goals in three games before earning promotion to the first team.
Reacting to the signing, Hurzeler expressed his excitement at adding the teenager to his attacking options.
“I’m looking forward to working with Zadok. Having seen his games and his attributes, he is a player that can impact games in the final third. He’s still young and will need time to adapt to the club and Premier League, but he’s an exciting player to watch, and he brings the kind of creativity we know our fans will enjoy. He’s dynamic, has pace and likes to take players on. His attributes and ability will be a real addition to our attacking options,” Hurzeler said.
Yohanna himself described the move as the fulfilment of a lifelong dream.
“Almost a year ago, a dream came true when I signed my first first-team contract with AIK. From my first day at AIK, I have enjoyed every second, but now another dream has also come true. Even though I am now leaving AIK, I will always carry with me what the club has meant to me and my development both as a footballer and a person. Thanks to all the players, managers and supporters who have supported me,” Yohanna said.
AIK’s Head of Recruitment, Miika Takkula, also paid tribute to the teenager while insisting the transfer aligned with the Swedish club’s long-term development vision.
“It has been a great honour to have worked with Zadok. We will be excited to follow his continued career. Brighton offers a development environment that benefits Zadok and, in the long term, also AIK. Our vision and the strategies we have worked on remain unchanged,” Takkula said.
His arrival comes shortly after Brighton club legend Solly March confirmed his exit following 13 years at the Amex Stadium.
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