Brighton set to sign Algeria defender Jaouen Hadjam from Young Boys

Jaouen Hadjam is close to joining Brighton after the Premier League club reached a verbal agreement with Young Boys for the transfer of the Algeria international.

The 23-year-old left-back is expected to leave the Swiss club this summer after two and a half years in Bern. Brighton finished eighth in the previous Premier League campaign, qualifying for the UEFA Europa Conference League, and currently sit top of the English top flight after one match.

According to Foot Mercato, Brighton and Young Boys have agreed the main terms of the deal, with both clubs now working to complete the remaining administrative details. The transfer fee has not been disclosed.

Hadjam joined Young Boys in January 2024 following an inconsistent spell at FC Nantes. During his time in France, he was temporarily left out by then-manager Antoine Kombouare because of his observance of Ramadan.

The defender was not used in Young Boys’ 4-2 home win over Vaduz on Sunday in the fourth round of the Swiss Super League. He has already featured three times this season, starting two of those matches.

Hadjam played 30 games for Young Boys during the previous campaign, including 24 starts, and contributed two goals and four assists. His involvement could have been greater, however, after an ankle injury kept him out for four months between December 2025 and April this year.

Hadjam has won 21 international caps for Algeria and scored three goals. A move to Brighton would represent the next stage of his career after he established himself as an important option on the left side of Young Boys’ defence.

The verbal agreement means the transfer is progressing, although the clubs still need to settle the final formalities before the move can be completed. No announcement has yet been made regarding the value of the deal.