Brighton boss Hurzeler says Nigeria duo need time to adapt

Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler says Femi Azeez and Zadok Yohanna are still adjusting to the intensity and demands of their new club.

The forwards were named in Nigeria’s 2026 Unity Cup squad but were not included in Brighton’s team for their first match after the international break because neither was fully fit.

Brighton signed 25-year-old Azeez from Millwall and Zadok from AIK Stockholm during the summer transfer window. Azeez has yet to make his competitive debut for the Seagulls, while Zadok has made three substitute appearances.

Hurzeler was speaking on Wednesday, on the eve of Brighton’s UEFA Conference League meeting with Kauno Zalgiris at the Amex Stadium. Azeez was absent from training and is unlikely to feature against the Lithuanian side.

The Brighton manager said there was no major concern over the winger’s absence, explaining that he needed more time to recover from a knock and become accustomed to the standards required at the club.

“No big issue. I think we talked about it last press conference, where some players need more time to adapt to the intensity,” Hurzeler told reporters.

The German coach said Azeez’s situation was comparable to Zadok’s and that Brighton wanted to provide both players with the right conditions to settle into the team and understand its style of play.

“It’s a little bit similar to Zadok, in that we try to give them the environment where they can adapt to our demands, to how we want to play.

“Therefore, these kind of players might need a little bit longer, but overall, there’s not a big issue, something I can report to you.

“It’s just a thing of adapting, and let’s see how fast he will adapt. I’m sure he’ll make his debut for us quite soon.”

Azeez and Zadok were also unavailable for all three of the Super Eagles’ matches during the first international break of the season as they continued their rehabilitation.

Their absence from Nigeria’s fixtures followed their limited involvement at club level, with Azeez still waiting for his first competitive appearance for Brighton and Zadok having been used only from the bench.

Hurzeler’s comments suggest Brighton are taking a cautious approach with the pair as they recover from their respective knocks and continue adapting to the club’s playing demands.