Brighton & Hove Albion have confirmed that Nigerian teenager Zadok Yohanna will report for first-team pre-season training on July 15, with the Premier League club deciding against sending the 19-year-old out on loan for the upcoming campaign.
The winger joined Brighton in a record-breaking €30m transfer from Swedish side AIK—the highest outgoing fee in Swedish football history—and has since remained in England for personal training, including sessions alongside veteran striker Danny Welbeck.
Yohanna, who signed a five-year contract at the Amex Stadium, celebrated his 19th birthday at the club’s training ground last month, where staff surprised him with a cake during a gym session.
Reflecting on his rapid rise from Ikon Allah Football Academy in Kaduna to the Premier League, he said: “I am very happy to join this club because I know where I came from. I really wanted to make my family proud, and I have done that.”
Regarded as one of Nigeria’s brightest prospects, Yohanna has reportedly drawn interest from Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle.
He was invited to the Unity Cup in London in May but missed out due to his ongoing transfer process and a minor injury.
With the 2026/2027 Premier League fixture list now released, Yohanna could make his top-flight debut on August 23, when Brighton host Aston Villa at the Amex Stadium, as he prepares for full integration into the first-team squad.
