Can Zadok Yohanna break Brighton’s record €116m sale in the future?

1 hour ago 1

ARTICLE AD BOX

Brighton has recently signed Nigerian prospect Zadok Yohanna from Swedish club AIK in a deal worth about €27 million, making the 18‑year‑old one of the most expensive teenage African players ever, reports Afrik Foot.

Yohanna’s move to the Amex Stadium follows a rapid rise from grassroots football in Bauchi State to the Premier League in less than two years.

While Brighton supporters are still getting acquainted with their new winger, those who have guided him believe he is destined for the top.

Ali Mohammed, owner of Kaduna‑based Ikon Allah Football Academy, has predicted that Yohanna could one day command a transfer fee of €180 million.

Nigeria and AIK teen talent Zadok Yohanna.

Yohanna’s mentor makes bold transfer prediction

Long before European giants began monitoring Yohanna, Mohammed had already identified him as a special talent.

According to the academy owner, Yohanna first arrived in Kaduna after scouts from Bauchi State recommended him.

“There was a guy who discovered him (Yohanna), so I talked to his older brother directly. He is the one that brought the boy to me,” Mohammed told Footy‑Africa.

“They saw him from Bauchi, they called that there is a good player in Bauchi then I spoke to them, with his senior brother direct and they brought him directly to Kaduna.”

“If you saw him at that time, he was very little, and I was shocked at how he was. I asked myself how can I start this process. I then started with him and, like a joke, he became bigger, better and stronger.”

Mohammed said Yohanna remained under his guidance for a long period, accelerating his football education and rarely returning home as he focused on development.

Years later, that work has culminated in a move to Brighton, but Mohammed believes the teenager’s journey has only just begun.

When asked if Yohanna was the greatest talent to emerge from his academy, the response was emphatic.

“Ejuke is a big player and from us too, but I do not think there is a player like Yohanna in the whole of Africa. It is not possible.”

The academy owner went further, insisting the winger possesses every attribute required to become one of the continent’s biggest stars.

“He has all the potential it takes to be big in European football.”

“What Yohanna has, when you see him, you will know he is a great player in the making.”

“Go and write it in the newspapers. Yohanna, in the next two to three years, will go for €180 million.”

“Write it down, write the day and the time of this interview, and we will come back to it soon.”

“Like I said, in two to three years, he will be the best player in Africa,” Ali Mohammed concluded.

Can Yohanna surpass Brighton’s biggest‑ever sale?

While Mohammed’s €180 million prediction may sound ambitious, Brighton’s recent record sales suggest the possibility cannot be ruled out.

The Seagulls currently hold the Premier League record for a midfielder sale after Chelsea paid around €116 million for Moises Caicedo in 2023. Brighton have also generated large profits from the sales of Alexis Mac Allister, Marc Cucurella, Yves Bissouma, Ben White and Robert Sanchez, establishing themselves as arguably Europe’s leading talent‑development club.

That reputation was a key reason Yohanna chose Brighton despite interest from Chelsea, Newcastle United and other European clubs.

The pathway is clear. If Yohanna develops into a Premier League star and continues his upward trajectory, his market value could rise rapidly. However, breaking the €116 million record is unlikely.

The Nigerian teenager has only a handful of senior appearances and has yet to play a competitive match in England. Adapting to the physical demands and intensity of Premier League football will be his first major test.

Should he make a huge impact at the Amex Stadium, Mohammed’s prediction might come true, but at the moment it looks far‑fetched.