Jaouen Hadjam Set for £10 Million Move to Albion

Jaouen Hadjam was kept firmly out of the firing line in Switzerland – and all roads now appear to lead to Albion.

The Algeria international full-back, strongly expected to join the Seagulls in a £10 million deal from Young Boys, was left on the bench and unused as his side beat Vaduz 4-2 in the league on Sunday. A regular starter until now, he watched the action unfold from the sidelines.

That decision did not come out of nowhere. During the week, Young Boys head coach Gerardo Seoane publicly questioned how sharp and focused Hadjam could be “when he is on the verge of a potential transfer.” On Sunday, his team sheet backed up those doubts.

After the final whistle, the 23-year-old lingered. He spent around 15 minutes signing autographs and posing for photos with supporters. It is something the former Paris FC youngster often does, but this time the scene carried a different weight. Many inside the ground read it as a goodbye.

Hadjam has built his reputation primarily at left-back, though he can also operate on the right side of defence, a versatility that will appeal to Albion’s recruitment team. He joined Young Boys from Nantes and played his part in securing the 2023-24 Swiss title, adding top-level experience to a CV that already includes 21 caps for Algeria.

His removal from the starting line-up is all the more striking because he had begun Young Boys’ previous games. Now, as talks advance, his next minutes on the pitch could well come in England.

At Albion, he would be walking into a competitive full-back department. Ferdi Kadioglu excelled at left-back last season and walked away with player of the year honours, while also showing he can switch to the right. Maxim De Cuyper, a converted winger, offers another option on the left, though his early Premier League outings have hinted he might be even more dangerous pushed higher up the pitch.

If Hadjam does complete his move, Albion will not just be adding another defender. They will be arming a back line already rich in flexibility with yet another two-footed outlet – and turning that quiet farewell in Switzerland into the start of something far noisier on the south coast.