Newcastle United have made a bold move in the race to sign Nigerian youngster Zadok Yohanna, joining Brighton & Hove Albion in the battle for his signature, Soccernet.ng reports.
Yohanna began his football journey at Ikon Allah Academy in Nigeria before making the move abroad in 2025 when he joined Swedish side AIK. He was gradually integrated into the first team and has gone on to establish himself as a key player for the club this year.
The 18-year-old has attracted interest from several top European clubs with his impressive displays and there has been doubts over his future in Sweden, especially with the summer transfer window fast approaching.
Brighton & Hove Albion and RB Leipzig had been the most active suitors so far and Soccernet.ng previously reported Brighton to be pushing hard for a deal in the coming days.
The Premier League side already sealed a verbal agreement with the Nigerian youngster and were advancing in negotiations with AIK over a fee, with the Swedish club valuing him at around €30 million – approximately N48 billion.
However, Newcastle United have now entered the picture, setting up a serious transfer battle for the highly rated youngster.
Newcastle United join Brighton in the race for Zadok Yohanna
It had initially looked like Brighton were in pole position to secure Yohanna’s signature, after they moved quickly in recent days to try and finalize a deal ahead of other clubs.
However, Soccernet.ng understands that Newcastle United have now entered the race and have already submitted a €30 million bid to AIK for the 18-year-old.
The offer, which matches AIK’s valuation, is structured as a €25 million fixed fee plus €5 million in performance-related add-ons, which would potentially make Yohanna the most expensive transfer in Swedish football history, surpassing the €20 million fee Tottenham Hotspur paid to sign Lucas Bergvall from Djurgården in 2024.
Newcastle United were not previously not in the picture, with Brighton leading the pursuit and RB Leipzig also showing interest. Leipzig, however, were only willing to offer around €20 million and were reluctant to meet AIK’s full valuation.
Meanwhile, other top European clubs including Real Madrid, Rennes, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, and Ajax are also still monitoring the situation. No final decision has been made for now and further twists could still happen in the deal.
Yohanna has recorded nine goal contributions in 12 appearances for AIK this season, with five of those contributions coming in just seven matches in the Swedish Allsvenskan.
While Newcastle have now accelerated their efforts to secure a deal quickly, Brighton remain firmly in the race and could also match the asking price to set up a thrilling transfer battle between both Premier League clubs.
A final decision on Yohanna’s future could be made within the next 48 hours as negotiations continue between AIK and interested parties over a potential move for the Nigerian youngster.
