Premier League side Newcastle United have entered the race to sign exciting Nigerian youngster Zadok Yohanna amid interest from Brighton & Hove Albion and RB Leipzig, Footy-Africa can exclusively confirm.
While the likes of Rennes, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayer Leverkusen have all registered their interests, Brighton and RB Leipzig had recently emerged as the frontrunners to meet AIK’s valuation.
Brighton had already reached an agreement with the player on personal terms and were in discussions with AIK over a transfer fee, with their asking price reportedly around €30 million. Leipzig also had concrete interests but were unwilling to match AIK’s valuation.
AIK await ‘concrete’ offers for Zadok Yohanna as European interest grows
However, the race for Yohanna has now taken a fresh twist, as Footy-Africa understands that Newcastle United have submitted an offer worth a total package of €30 million, matching AIK’s asking price.
The proposal is made up of a guaranteed €25 million fee, along with an additional €5 million in performance-related add-ons and has now placed Newcastle in a strong position to beat Brighton to his signature. Should the move go through, it would become the biggest transfer in the history of the Swedish league.
Meanwhile, several other clubs remain firmly in contention to sign the Nigerian youngster and could still match the Swedish club’s valuation in the coming days. An update on Yohanna’s future is expected within the next 48 hours, which could see the winger leave AIK just one year after joining the club from Ikon Allah Academy.
The final decision on his next move could also depend on the Super Eagles invitee, especially if Brighton decide to match Newcastle’s offer. For now, Yohanna’s transfer situation has taken a major twist and remains one to watch closely in the coming days.
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The 18-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at AIK and there has been growing speculation over his future due to the increasing number of clubs tracking his progress.
Yohanna has been in outstanding form for the Swedish club this season, scoring five goals and providing four assists across all competitions, and several clubs have sent scouts to monitor his performances throughout the course of the campaign.
