Twelve minutes was all Zadok Yohanna needed for his first taste of Premier League football, coming on as Brighton put four past Aston Villa on opening day.
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Nigerian teenager Zadok Yohanna earned a solid rating on his Premier League debut as Brighton and Hove Albion thrashed Aston Villa 4-0 at the Amex on Sunday.
Named among the substitutes for the opening fixture, Yohanna was brought on with 12 minutes remaining as Brighton cruised to a perfect start to the season. The result puts Brighton top of the early Premier League table on goal difference.
A Composed Cameo
According to ratings compiled by DAZN, Yohanna scored 6.2 out of 10 for his performance, with the broadcaster noting his limited time on the pitch but crediting him for helping maintain defensive structure late in the game. Despite his brief cameo, he completed 11 touches, all five of his passes in the opposition half, and won one of two attempted dribbles.
A Record-Breaking Arrival
Yohanna began his career at Ikon Allah Football Academy in Nigeria before a move to Swedish club AIK in 2025, where he broke into the first team during the 2026 season. He completed his move to Brighton in June 2026 for a fee of €28 million, a deal that broke the record for the biggest transfer fee ever paid for a player leaving Swedish football.
He received his first call-up to the Super Eagles in May 2026 ahead of the Unity Cup in London, but AIK opted not to release him at the time, citing his ongoing recovery from a hamstring injury.
📌 Did You Know?
- Yohanna’s €28 million move from AIK to Brighton set a new record for the largest transfer fee involving a departure from Swedish football.
- He was named alongside Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Chelsea’s Estevao on the 2026 Golden Boy Top 100 list of the world’s best young talents.
- This Premier League bow came just days before his competitive Brighton debut in the UEFA Europa Conference League against Tromso.
- Yohanna missed out on Nigeria’s Unity Cup squad in May 2026 after AIK declined to release him while he was still recovering from injury.
- Brighton’s 4-0 opening-day win over Aston Villa put them top of the Premier League table on goal difference after the first round of matches.
