Swansea City are closing in on one of the most exciting captures of their summer rebuild, with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Malick Yalcouye set to arrive on a season-long loan. The 19-year-old was in attendance for the Swans’ Carabao Cup win over Crawley Town on Tuesday night.
Fresh off a title-winning campaign in Austria and eight Champions League appearances, Yalcouye’s arrival is a clear sign of intent from Alan Sheehan as he builds a squad hoping to compete at the top end of the Championship.
Brighton’s Malick Yalcouye pictured next to Swansea City’s chief executive officer Tom Gorringe at tonight’s match. 🦢 pic.twitter.com/8NLmYd4J6c
— Only Swans (@onlyswanss) August 12, 2025
From Abidjan to the Amex
Born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast (and also eligible for Mali), Yalcouye came through the renowned ASEC Mimosas academy, the same conveyor belt that produced Ivorian legends such as Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure, and Gervinho.
In 2022, he made the jump to Europe with Swedish side IFK Göteborg, featuring just 14 times before Brighton swooped in with a reported £6 million deal in the summer of 2024. Albion boss Fabian Hürzeler described him then as “a talented midfielder with lots of potential to develop into a top-class player.”
Brighton immediately sent him on loan to Austrian champions Sturm Graz, where he thrived in 2024/25. Yalcouye racked up 26 league appearances, played in all eight Champions League matches, and chipped in with four goals across all competitions.
His standout display came in a narrow 1-0 defeat away to European giants Borussia Dortmund, a game in which he was named UCL Player of the Match.
Why Brighton Are Loaning Him Again
Despite impressing in Brighton’s pre-season, breaking into a stacked midfield, featuring the highly coveted Carlos Baleba, was always going to be a tall order.
Brighton have form in this approach — recent examples like Jan Paul van Hecke and Yasin Ayari used Championship loans as stepping stones to Premier League football. Yalcouye will be hoping to follow a similar path.
Swansea, for their part, have landed a player with European pedigree, and a point to prove in English football. Sheehan admitted the Swans faced strong competition for his signature:
“Some top-league clubs were after him so for him to decide to come here is wonderful. We’ll look after him.
It shows we are doing some good work.”
What Yalcouye Brings to the Swans
Yalcouye is a dynamic box-to-box midfielder with a remarkable work rate. At 5'6, he isn’t the most imposing figure physically, but his ability to cover ground effortlessly and read the game superbly are key attributes. His statistics for intercepting passes, breaking up play, and springing quick transitions were among the best in both Sweden and Austria.
In many ways, he offers the same kind of all-action presence Lewis O’Brien brought during his loan spell last season, a quality Swansea have missed since his departure. With Joe Allen and Myles Peart-Harris also moving on, Yalcouye addresses a clear gap in midfield.
With the signing of Yalcouye, there’s gonna be an odd man out. Who’s gonna be benched. Galbraith, Widell or Franco.
— Nick (@nickyfran75) August 13, 2025
Gonna be interesting to see if Sheehan can get the best out of all of them. A very young but exciting midfield. #SwanseaCity
The Bigger Picture
Set to become Swansea’s eighth signing of the summer, Yalcouye’s addition reflects a busy and purposeful window at the Swansea.com Stadium.
The Swans still intend to strengthen further before the deadline, particularly in attack, but securing Yalcouye despite interest from plenty of other clubs, reportedly including Toulouse and FC Copenhagen, underlines their pull as a club where young talent can flourish.
If the teenager can replicate his Sturm Graz form in the Championship, this could prove to be one of the smartest pieces of business in the 2025/26 season, and a move that benefits both club and player in the long term.
