THE NEW MAHREZ? 18-year-old Zadok Yohanna rejects Lamine Yamal, Olise comparisons in viral video

Brighton’s new Nigerian sensation Zadok Yohanna has revealed the nickname that followed him from home, and it says plenty about the style of player he believes he is. 

The 18-year-old, who recently completed a big-money move to the Premier League, says his teammates in Nigeria branded him “Riyad Mahrez” because of the way he dribbles and carries the ball.

Yohanna made the revelation in a light-hearted TikTok video, where he explained that the comparison did not come from himself, but from the players he grew up around in Nigeria.

“My teammates in Nigeria, that’s the name they gave me,” he said. “They say I dribble like Riyad Mahrez, not even like Lamine Yamal or [Michael] Olise. I dribble like Mahrez, I play like Mahrez, so they gave me the name Riyad Mahrez.”

For a teenager who has quickly become one of the most talked-about Nigerian prospects in Europe, the comparison is eye-catching. 

Mahrez, the former Leicester City and Manchester City star, built his reputation on silky feet, close control and an ability to glide past defenders in tight spaces. That is the kind of profile Yohanna seems to embrace as he begins his new chapter at Brighton.

What makes the comment even more interesting is the confidence behind it. Yohanna did not shy away from the comparison, and when asked about Mahrez, he was full of praise.

“Really good, 100% (underrated),” he said. “They don’t think about him.”

The remarks add another layer to the excitement surrounding the youngster, who only recently became one of Nigeria’s newest football headlines after his £21.5 million transfer from AIK Stockholm to Brighton. 

The move has already sparked conversations about his future with the Super Eagles, with many fans imagining him as part of Nigeria’s next major attacking core alongside Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.

Now, with Yohanna openly linking his game to one of Africa’s most technically gifted wingers, expectations are likely to rise even further. 

If he can translate that confidence into Premier League performances, Brighton may have secured not just a promising youngster, but one of the most exciting Nigerian attackers of his generation.

For Nigeria fans, the Mahrez comparison will only fuel the hype even more than it is for the youngster motivated to make his family proud.