‘Fire me if he fails’ – Scout opens up on risky decision that led to Zadok Yohanna’s rise

The scout responsible for uncovering Nigerian sensation Zadok Yohanna, Herish Sadi, has shared the story behind the teenager’s rise from grassroots football in Nigeria to securing a move to Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.

Yohanna recently completed a major transfer from Swedish giants AIK to Brighton after impressing with a string of standout performances in Sweden.

The 18-year-old signed a five-year contract which runs until 2031 with the English club, marking another important step in his rapidly developing career.

Speaking about how the move to AIK first came about, Sadi disclosed that he immediately recognised Yohanna’s immense potential after watching him play in Nigeria.

The scout said he was so convinced by the youngster’s abilities that he was prepared to stake his own reputation on the deal.

According to Sadi, he contacted AIK’s top executives and strongly urged them to sign the player without delay, assuring them that Yohanna would become a valuable asset for the club.

“I was really impressed watching him play as a number 10 and on the wing. There were a lot of scouts there, and we had to move fast,” Sadi was quoted on Brila Media X handle.

He added, “I called AIK’s CEO and said: ‘How would a hundred million Krona (€10 million) feel? You need to close this deal right away. If he doesn’t turn out well, fire me. Fire me without compensation.’

“I negotiated with the president and managers there. I actually finalised the deal that same evening, and he officially became an AIK player.”

Born in Bauchi State, Yohanna began his football development at the Ikon Allah Football Academy before attracting interest from European scouts.

After joining AIK in 2025, he wasted little time making an impression. Initially drafted into the club’s Under-19 side, the winger announced himself by scoring four goals in his first three matches in the P19 Allsvenskan.

Yohanna made his competitive first-team debut in August 2025 and soon followed it up with a full-match appearance in a Svenska Cupen qualifier.