Brighton & Hove Albion sign Algerian left-back Jaouen Hadjam

The 23-year-old joins from Swiss champions Young Boys ⁠on a five-year deal, making him the third Algerian in the league.Algerian defender Jaouen Hadjam has joined Brighton & Hove Albion from Swiss champions Young Boys for an undisclosed fee on a contract until 2031, the Premier League club has confirmed.Brighton announced the signing on Tuesday with a video showing the left-back sipping mint tea in a cafe.Hadjam joins Manchester City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri and Hull City’s Mohamed El Bachir Belloumi as Algerian internationals playing in the Premier League.Former Leicester City and Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez is arguably the most famous and successful Algerian to have played in the league.The Paris-born player represented France at youth level before switching allegiance to Algeria in 2023. He has earned 21 caps for his country.Hadjam, 23, made 98 appearances for Young Boys in all competitions after joining the Swiss side from Ligue 1 club Nantes in 2024. He played in Paris Saint-Germain’s youth academy.He was part of Algeria’s squad at the FIFA World Cup 2026, where he played in three of the team’s four matches.Brighton started their league campaign by beating Europa League holders Aston Villa 4-0 on Sunday.Hadjam shakes hands with Argentina’s Lionel Messi before their World Cup match [File: Jay Biggerstaff/Reuters]