Brighton open – Brighton have opened talks to sign 18-year-old AIK winger Zadok Yohanna, with the club pushing for a record sale of around £18–20 million. The speedster has drawn scouts from across Europe, while AIK recently blocked him from Nigeria’s Unity Cup due to injury
Brighton have stepped into the center of a crowded race for 18-year-old AIK winger Zadok Yohanna, with the Swedish club confirming it has opened negotiations over a potential sale.
The talks mark a significant jump in momentum for a player whose stock has been rising quickly. Yohanna joined AIK last summer from the Ikon Allah academy in Nigeria. and this season has already been enough to bring major European attention. He has also been on Chelsea and Tottenham’s radar. while clubs including Real Madrid. Rennes. RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund have sent staff to watch him.
Yohanna is a left-footed winger who plays on the right, and his profile is built on speed and technical quality in tight spaces. Under Jose Riveiro, he has impressed for his ability in one-on-one situations, a trait that has consistently turned private viewings into real interest.
The scale of the attention was plain in April, when Yohanna’s match against Kalmar FF drew 32 scouts, all credited with interest in him. That kind of turnout rarely happens for a player with limited top-flight exposure.
He has only played seven league games for AIK, scoring twice and adding two assists. Yet the warning signs — and the promise — appeared earlier in the year through Swedish Cup performances, where his talent stood out enough for clubs to press to sign him.
His international story has also complicated matters. Yohanna was called up to represent Nigeria last month, but AIK blocked him from joining the national camp for the Unity Cup, saying he needed to fully recover from an injury.
That injury recovery detail sits at the heart of the situation for anyone trying to move quickly. Brighton’s interest is clear. but AIK’s control over the timing is just as obvious — and the club is now preparing to turn negotiations into a major financial event. AIK, which is listed on the stock market, confirmed that it has opened negotiations to sell on Sunday.
The target is a big one. AIK’s valuation aims around a club record sale in the region of £18–20 million, with Yohanna valued at roughly £18m in the current market.
The race around him also reflects how Brighton operate in the transfer market. They have already had clubs showing interest in their wingers Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh, and they now look set to add Yohanna to a growing list of potential arrivals.
Brighton have been doing business on the other side of the squad as well. They are set to lose James Milner after he opted to hang up his boots. Brighton offered Milner another year on his contract this summer, but the midfielder has chosen to retire.
They have also allowed Adam Webster to leave as a free agent. Brighton say they still retain interest in Toulouse defender Charlie Cresswell, the England U21 international valued around £25m.
With Yohanna’s potential sale now in formal talks and his broader European chase continuing, the question for Brighton is whether they can turn the window momentum into a completed deal — and do it while the player’s injury recovery remains a live factor in how quickly he can be integrated.
Brighton AIK Zadok Yohanna transfer talks £18m £18–20m Unity Cup Jose Riveiro James Milner Adam Webster Charlie Cresswell Kaoru Mitoma Yankuba Minteh Chelsea Tottenham Real Madrid Borussia Dortmund