Zadok Yohanna: Brighton’s newboy disses Newcastle, Chelsea after signing for Seagulls

Super Eagles invitee Zadok Yohanna has sent a sly dig to his other suitors after penning a four-year deal with Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 18-year-old's performance with Swedish side AIK saw him garner interest from several Bundesliga sides like Bayer 04 Leverkusen, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund.

Brighton announced they'd reached an agreement with AIK to sign Yohanna for £21.5m. However, Newcastle United and Chelsea quickly entered the conversation to deter the teenager's decision, with the Magpies promising a first-team position to the highly-rated winger.

Zadok Yohanna is officially Albion. 💙🤍 pic.twitter.com/fIO1kuqvi8

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) June 6, 2026

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Zadok Yohanna teases suitors after signing for Brighton

The Seagulls announced the signing of the Super Eagles invitee a few hours ago, revealing he had penned a five-year deal.

In the announcement video, Yohanna sent a sly dig to the other clubs that were interested in him. Putting his hands in his ears, the ex-AIK man said, “Ignore the noise, it was always Brighton,” hinting that the interested parties stood no chance of deterring him from moving to the Amex.

Quizzed about why he chose Fabian Hurzeler's side despite interest from arguably bigger sides, Yohanna revealed he was impressed by how they've turned young talents into big stars in recent years.

“I watch Premier League games a lot, so I know the teams that use young players, and Brighton is one of them,” Yohanna said in quotes revealed by Brighton's official website.

“They are really good at developing young talents, and I think their style of play will fit me a lot.

“I had a lot of good people around me who took care of me [at AOL]. Everyone loved me, so it was difficult to leave. He [Fabian Hurzeler] urged me to keep fighting and working hard.

“I will give everything I have and I really want to win trophies with the team,” the fleet-footed winger concluded.

Yohanna will be looking to feature in the Seagulls' European campaign, as they kick off their adventure in the UEFA Conference League next season.