Pinnick Reveals NFF Are in Contact With Brighton-Bound Zadok Yohanna Over Super Eagles Future

Amaju Pinnick, the former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has disclosed that the federation is already in communication with 18-year-old winger Zadok Yohanna, describing the Brighton-bound teenager as “the future” of Nigerian football.

Yohanna’s profile rose sharply after PulseSports reported that Brighton & Hove Albion confirmed the signing of the highly rated winger from Swedish club AIK Stockholm last week. The teenager has agreed to a five-year contract running until June 2031, with the transfer set to be officially completed once the summer window opens.

Speaking to Arise News, Pinnick was emphatic in his assessment of the young forward. “The bedrock of any football federation is your male national team, and I believe that we are getting it right,” he said. “We have a coach, we have a team, and we have young, enterprising players.”

Pinnick continued: “Then watch out for this Yohanna. I personally did a review on the Yohanna boy that has gone to Brighton. That’s the future. The Nigeria Football Federation is monitoring him. They are talking to him, so the future looks very good.”

The NFF’s interest in Yohanna is not new. The teenager had already received a call-up to the Super Eagles squad for the 2026 Unity Cup, though he was ultimately unavailable for the tournament. His former club AIK declined to release him due to a combination of a minor injury and the ongoing transfer negotiations with Brighton at the time.

Prior to completing his move to the Premier League, Yohanna had made a strong impression during the 2026 Allsvenskan season in Sweden, registering two goals and three assists across just seven appearances for AIK — numbers that underline why clubs at the highest level took notice.

Yohanna’s arrival at Brighton represents a significant milestone for Nigerian football, adding another young talent to the growing list of Nigerians competing in England’s top flight. The club, known for their structured approach to developing young players under their recruitment model, appears well-suited to nurture a talent of his profile.

With the Super Eagles continuing to build their squad ahead of future international competitions, Pinnick’s comments suggest that securing Yohanna’s commitment to the green-and-white jersey remains a priority for the federation. Whether a formal international cap follows in the near term will likely depend on his availability and integration at club level once the new season begins.