Brighton said to be considering sending Zadok out on loan to Belgium side next season

ENGLISH Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion are considering sending new Nigerian signing Zadok Yohanna out on loan to Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise for the forthcoming 2026/27 season to enable him acquire some game time.

Earlier this month, Yohanna, 18, became the first big signing of the summer transfer when he joined Brighton from Swedish side AIK in a deal said to be worth about £24m. Over recent months, he has been the subject of a scramble as several English sides jostled for his signature but Brighton emerged as winners, getting him to sign a deal that will last until 2031, worth an initial €28m, plus a potential €2m in add-ons.

Zadok, who impressed during his breakthrough spell at AIK Stockholm, said Brighton’s reputation for giving opportunities to young talents made them stand out among several interested clubs. After signing the deal, he took to the club's website to say that Brighton's commitment to developing young players was the key factor in his decision.

However, according to Nigerian online football portal @9ja_Ballers, Yohanna might be sent on loan to Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise for the forthcoming season. Apparently, the player's agent believes a loan move away from Brighton would help with the development of the teenage winger.

So far, Brighton is yet to confirm this and it remains to be seen whether the club will apply for a work permit to enable the teenager plat in England. Last season, Yohanna scored five goals and provided four assists in 18 senior appearances for AIK, a breakthrough that triggered a frantic race involving Brighton, Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Only 11 months after leaving Nigeria's Ikon Allah Football Academy for Stockholm in a modest €750k deal, the teenager has broken into the list of the most expensive Nigerian players signed at the age of 20 or younger with the Brighton deal. Unfortunately for Zadok, he could not make his international debut in the summer too as AIK prevented him from joining up with the Super Eagles for the Unity Cup in London, claiming he was recovering from injury.