Brighton’s latest Nigerian signing was introduced in the second half as Fabian Hurzeler’s side beat Roma 3-0.
Nigerian forward Zadok Yohanna has made his first appearance for Brighton & Hove Albion following his headline-making summer transfer from Swedish club AIK.
The 21-year-old was introduced from the bench as Brighton defeated Italian giants AS Roma 3-0 in a pre-season friendly at the American Express Stadium on Saturday.
Manager Fabian Hurzeler used 21 players during the encounter, with Yohanna among the second-half substitutes given an opportunity to impress ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
Yohanna gets first Brighton minutes
The Nigerian forward entered the game with around 30 minutes remaining, replacing Diego Gomez.
Although it was only a pre-season appearance and does not count as an official competitive debut, Yohanna immediately offered glimpses of the attacking qualities that convinced Brighton to make a major investment in him.
The youngster used his pace to run at the Roma defence, repeatedly attempting to beat opponents and attack the space behind the backline.
His energetic display also highlighted the work rate that has made him one of the exciting young forwards to watch following his move to English football.
For Nigerian football fans, the appearance provided an early glimpse of what Yohanna could bring to Brighton as he begins adapting to the demands of Premier League football.
Brighton break transfer record for Nigerian forward
Brighton reportedly paid €28 million to sign Yohanna from AIK, making the deal a record transfer fee received by a club in Sweden’s Allsvenskan.
The overall value of the agreement could rise to €30 million if the relevant performance-related bonuses are achieved.
Brighton had to fend off competition from several European clubs to secure the Nigerian’s signature, underlining the level of interest surrounding the highly-rated forward.
His arrival is another indication of Brighton’s strategy of investing in young talent with the potential to develop into top-level players.
Brighton cruise past Roma
Yohanna’s introduction came with Brighton already in control of the contest.
Georginio Rutter opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a superb effort from around 20 yards, giving the Seagulls a deserved advantage.
Yasin Ayari then added two more goals, scoring on either side of half-time to complete a convincing 3-0 victory for Hurzeler’s side.
While the result will carry less importance than Brighton’s competitive fixtures, Yohanna’s first outing will be closely watched by Nigerian supporters eager to see how the young forward develops in England.
With the Premier League season approaching, the record signing will now hope to build on his first Brighton appearance and force his way into Hurzeler’s plans.