Zadok Yohanna
Personal information
Full name Zadok Abu Yohanna
Date of birth (2007-06-29) 29 June 2007 (age 18)
Place of birth Bauchi State, Nigeria
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position Right winger
Team information
Current team
AIK
Number 36
Youth career
–2025 Ikon Allah FC
2025 AIK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2025–2026 AIK 13 (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 6 June 2026

Zadok Abu Yohanna (English: /ˈzʌdɒk jɒˈhʌnʌ/;[1] born 29 June 2007) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Allsvenskan club AIK. On 15 June 2026, Yohanna will transfer to Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.[2]

Yohanna began his career at the Ikon Allah Football Academy in Nigeria before being recruited by Swedish club AIK in 2025.

Following his arrival in Sweden, he rapidly established himself within the club’s structure and achieved his breakthrough in the first team during the 2026 season.[3] In June 2026, Yohanna signed for Brighton & Hove Albion for €28 million, breaking the Swedish transfer fee record.[4]

Yohanna is distinguished by his technical proficiency, pace, and attacking creativity, and is widely regarded as a player of considerable promise with significant developmental potential.[5]

Club career

Early career

Zadok Yohanna was born and raised in Bauchi, Nigeria, and belongs to the Sawaya Ethnic Group. At the age of approximately 12–13, he left his family to relocate independently to Kaduna, where he began playing for the Ikon Allah Academy.[6]

AIK

2025–2026: Development and breakthrough

Yohanna was signed by AIK on 29 June 2025, agreeing to a contract that runs until 31 December 2029.[7] Yohanna began his spell at AIK playing for the club’s under-19 side, where he scored four goals in three matches in the P19 Allsvenskan. It did not take long before head coach Mikkjal Thomassen began integrating Yohanna into first-team training on a regular basis.[8]

He made his debut for the club on 17 August 2025, coming on as a substitute in the 89th minute against IFK Göteborg at Gamla Ullevi in a match that AIK lost 2–1. Three days later, in the following match, Yohanna made his first start for AIK, playing the full game in the qualification round for the 2025–26 Svenska Cupen against Hudiksvalls FF, which AIK won convincingly 7–0.[9]

Ahead of the 2026 season, Mikkjal Thomassen was sacked by AIK and replaced by the Spanish coach José Rivero as the club’s new head coach.[10] Following the managerial change and the introduction of a new 4–3–3 formation, Yohanna established himself as the team’s right winger, a position he quickly made his own during pre-season.

On 9 March 2026, Yohanna scored his first two goals for AIK as the team defeated BK Häcken 4–0 at Strawberry Arena, securing qualification for the quarter-finals of the Swedish Cup.[11] In the quarter-final against GAIS, Yohanna continued his scoring form by netting one of AIK’s goals, heading in a cross from Áron Csongvai in the second half. However, AIK lost the match 3–2 and were eliminated from the cup.[12]

On April 5, 2026, in the first league game of the season at Strawberry Arena, Yohanna announced himself on the Allsvenskan stage by scoring his first league goal.[13] Cutting in from the right flank, he weaved past two defenders inside the penalty area before clinically dispatching the decisive strike to secure a 2–1 victory over Halmstads BK.[14] Following Yohanna’s breakthrough start to the 2026 season, transfer speculation began to intensify. In April, reports emerged linking German clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen with the player.[15][16] Yohanna maintained his strong form throughout the spring of 2026 and scored AIK’s only goal in a 1–1 draw against IF Elfsborg at Borås Arena on 3 May.[17] In the following match, on 10 May, he registered an assist for Kevin Filling in a 4–2 defeat to Djurgårdens IF.[18]

Brighton & Hove Albion

On 6 June 2026, it was announced that Yohanna will transfer to English Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion when the transfer window opens on 15 June 2026.[2][19]

International career

In May 2026, Yohanna received his first-ever call-up to the Nigerian national team, which was set to participate in the four-nation Unity Cup tournament in London.[20] The following day, his club, AIK, announced that it had decided not to release him for international duty, as Yohanna was in a crucial final stage of his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury.[21]

Style of play

A left-footed player, Yohanna primarily features on the right wing, though he can also operate in an attacking midfield role.[22]

"He has an impressive skill set, highlighted by his burst of acceleration, close control, exceptional one-on-one ability and a refined left foot."

— AIK's former Head of scouting and recruitment Fredrik Wisur Hansen sharing his first impression after signing Yohanna in June 2025.[23]

As Yohanna established himself in the AIK side during the 2026 season under head coach José Riveiro, he was deployed as a right winger in a 4–3–3 system.[24]

Personal life

Yohanna is a Christian.[25] In Bauchi State, where he grew up, Christians are a minority, comprising approximately 45% of the population.

Career statistics

As of match played 4 May 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
AIK 2025 Allsvenskan 6 0 1 0 — 0 0 7 0
2026 Allsvenskan 7 2 4 3 — — 11 5
Career total 13 2 5 3 0 0 0 0 18 5
  1. ^ Includes Svenska Cupen

References

  1. ^ "Pronunciation of "Zadok Yohanna"". X. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Albion Agree Deal to Sign Zadok Yohanna". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 6 June 2026. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  3. ^ Sport, S. V. T. (2026-04-05). "Fotboll: AIK vann premiären mot Halmstad – Zadok Yohanna stor hjälte i slutminuterna". SVT Sport (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  4. ^ "Transfer record broken - Brighton beat Chelsea to sign Zadok Yohanna from AIK". www.transfermarkt.com. Retrieved 2026-06-08.
  5. ^ "Allsvenskan: Nigerian teenager Yohanna stars for AIK in season-opening win". www.panafricafootball.com. 2026-04-05. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  6. ^ ""Grät jättemycket – saknar dem varje dag"". www.aftonbladet.se (in Swedish). 2026-04-05. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  7. ^ Sport, S. V. T. (2025-06-29). "Fotboll: Klart: AIK värvar Zadok Yohanna – Se Fotbollsstudion med analyser från Allsvenskan". SVT Sport (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-03-15.
  8. ^ Nordqvist, Casper (2026-03-24). "EXKLUSIVT: Så upptäcktes Zadok Yohanna i Nigeria". FotbollDirekt (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  9. ^ "Mikkjal Thomassen ska hyllas för det". www.expressen.se (in Swedish). 2025-08-20. Retrieved 2026-03-15.
  10. ^ "Former Orlando Pirates and Al Ahly coach Jose Riveiro joins Swedish outfit AIK". africasoccer.com. 2026-01-16. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  11. ^ Agency, TT News (2026-03-09). "Dream goals from teenage talent Zadok Yohanna took AIK to Swedish Cup quarter-finals". Sweden Herald. Retrieved 2026-04-06.
  12. ^ "Gais slog ut AIK ur cupen efter galen tillställning - Svenska cupen - Fotbollskanalen". Fotbollskanalen (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-03-15.
  13. ^ Nordqvist, Casper (2026-04-05). "Yohanna frälste AIK inför 39 000 åskådare". FotbollDirekt (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-04-06.
  14. ^ Agency, TT News (2026-04-05). "AIK won the season opener, Yohanna match hero". Sweden Herald. Retrieved 2026-04-06.
  15. ^ "Uppgifter: Tysk trio ute efter Zadok Yohanna - Allsvenskan - Fotbollskanalen". www.fotbollskanalen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  16. ^ Oguntimehin, Ayomide (2026-04-21). "Zadok Yohanna: AIK respond to links from German clubs for Nigerian talent". Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  17. ^ "AIK kryssade mot Elfsborg: "Viktig poäng" - Allsvenskan - Fotbollskanalen". www.fotbollskanalen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  18. ^ Bildbyrån, Foto: Jonathan Näckstrand / (2026-05-10). "Yohanna tvingades ut i derbyt: "Sa nej"". www.aftonbladet.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  19. ^ "Brighton agree £21.5m deal for AIK Stockholm winger Zadok Yohanna". BBC Sport. June 6, 2026.
  20. ^ "Beskedet: Zadok Yohanna kallad till Nigerias landslag - Allsvenskan - Fotbollskanalen". www.fotbollskanalen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  21. ^ Popoola, Gbemidepo (2026-05-21). "Nigerian winger Zadok Yohanna blocked from Super Eagles’ Unity Cup squad". Premium Times. ISSN 2360-7688. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  22. ^ "Officiellt: AIK värvar Yohanna - Allsvenskan - Fotbollskanalen". www.fotbollskanalen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-04-06.
  23. ^ "Zadok Yohanna klar för AIK – skrivit på till 2029". Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  24. ^ Sport, S. V. T. (2026-03-11). "Fotboll: Experten hyllar AIK:s Zadok Yohanna: "Enorm kvalitet"". SVT Sport (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-04-06.
  25. ^ "Zadok Yohanna's first interview at Brighton & Hove Albion". YouTube. Retrieved 7 June 2026.