The midfielder was restricted to 77 minutes of action from four games in the second half of the last season. The Seagulls allowed him to join Coventry City on a loan deal in the summer window, to continue his development.

The temporary move has paid off as the 20-year-old has made 11 appearances this season. The Brighton owned player is currently with the Sweden U21 camp, and it gave Fotbollskanalen an opportunity to have a chat with him.

Coventry City have endured a difficult run this season as they have managed only three wins from 16 league games. This has seen them sit 20th in the table. Despite this, Ayari is enjoying his time with the Sky Blues and insisted that his main aim was to enjoy more minutes this season.

“It has gone well. The team has gone a little worse and we are not really where we should be. But things are going well, matches and training are going well,” he said.

“I had no expectations at all. I went there because I wanted to play, to have fun and gain experience. And I’ve got it. I’ve played – maybe not as much as I’d like, but I’ve played and that’s the most important thing.”

When asked to describe life away from the pitch, Ayari explained: “It’s nice. It’s close to Sweden, only two hours away, so many people can come over quickly. Many people dream of living in England and playing in the Premier League or the Championship, so I won’t complain.”

Ayari will have to return to Brighton after this season, where he has a deal until 2027.

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The 19-year-old was of the belief he would be limited to the Seagulls’ training facilities and had to wait until next season to make an appearance for the club. He was proved wrong when Roberto De Zerbi handed him his Brighton debut in their FA Cup win over Grimsby Town last month.

Ayari also made his first league appearance in Brighton’s win over AFC Bournemouth earlier this month, and speaking to Sportbladet, the midfielder expressed his delight over featuring for the Premier League side, just months after arriving at The Amex.

The Sweden international has also revealed the former Sassuolo manager was the main reason behind his decision to join Brighton in the winter market.

“De Zerbi was the biggest reason I came here. I know that even if I don’t play, I will develop a lot in training. The short time I’ve been here, I feel like I’ve become a new player,” he said.

The newspaper then asked Brighton’s January addition to explain what makes De Zerbi’s special.

Responding to that, Ayari explained: “Magical. The best manager in the world. When it comes to tactics, I’ve never seen anyone like him in my life. I’m the kind of person who studies football a lot. I have studied a lot of coaches and he is one of them… When it comes to small details, he can’t be compared to others.”

The Swede has also revealed he’s quickly adjusted to his new life at Brighton.

“I’m a footballer who wants to play this way, and that was one of the big reasons I came here. For De Zerbi and Brighton. Brighton as a club is good at developing youngsters and then De Zerbi was here playing the football I love …. It is difficult in the Premier League. It is miles away. But I think I’ve gotten into it quickly, that it’s been easy,” Ayari added.

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The Premier League side have taken further steps to secure his services in the winter market.

A fresh report from Aftonbladet explains Brighton and AIK ‘agree’ a deal for the 19-year-old.

The two clubs carried out negotiations last week and the final details of the operation have now been sorted out. The Sweden international’s impending sale to the English club side will see AIK earn around SEK 45-50m [€4-4.5m].

It’s said the midfielder will ‘fly to England next week’ for the medical tests and to seal a move to Brighton. He had also attracted interest from other clubs, but Roberto De Zerbi’s side will end up acquiring his signature, barring any last-minute surprises.

Ayari made his debut for Sweden earlier this month in the friendly against Finland and also featured in his country’s friendly win over Iceland. It’s not clear whether this would help him obtain a work permit to feature for the Seagulls.

The report explains Brighton are working to resolve this and if Ayari fails to obtain a work permit, it may be necessary to send him out on loan.

Meanwhile, AIK have confirmed on their official website they have received bids for Ayari and Josafat Mendes.

“It is true that AIK Football has received offers from European clubs, but I cannot comment more than that at the moment. If something is completely clear, it will be communicated via NGM and Cision news,” AIK CEO Manuel Lindberg said.

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The 19-year-old came up through the Swedish club’s academy and was promoted to their first team in 2020. Last year, he was a regular for AIK, managing five goals and two assists from 33 matches, which includes five appearances in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers.

Aftonbladet state Brighton scouted the midfielder on numerous occasions in 2022 and are now ‘showing interest’ in him.

Ayari made his debut for Sweden in their 2-0 friendly win over Finland on Monday. He has attracted interest from foreign clubs for a long time and the report adds AIK are ‘expected to sell’ him in January.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side have included the teenager in the ‘list of possible signings’ for the current window. The Seagulls are owned by Tony Bloom, who also owns Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.

In the event the Premier League side were to sign Ayari this month, there is a possibility he could be sent out on loan to Union Saint-Gilloise. Another alternative is for the Belgian club to buy him first.

If Brighton complete the deal, Ayari will need a work permit to represent them. Should he fail to obtain it, the Swede could be loaned out to Union Saint-Gilloise.

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