Malick Yalcouyé
Ivorian footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Malick Junior Yalcouyé (born 18 November 2005) is a professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion. Primarily deployed as a defensive midfielder, Yalcouyé can also play as a central midfielder or winger. Born in Mali, he is a youth international for the Ivory Coast.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Malick Junior Yalcouyé | ||
| Date of birth | 18 November 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Bandiagara, Mali | ||
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Brighton & Hove Albion | ||
| Number | 35 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Étoiles De Sahel Abobo | |||
| –2023 | ASEC Mimosas | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023 | ASEC Mimosas | ||
| 2024 | IFK Göteborg | 11 | (1) |
| 2024– | Brighton & Hove Albion | 3 | (1) |
| 2024–2025 | → Sturm Graz (loan) | 26 | (4) |
| 2025–2026 | → Swansea City (loan) | 33 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2025– | Ivory Coast U23 | 1 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 5 September 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 13:30, 10 June 2025 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Early career
Yalcouyé came through the academy at Center De Formation Étoiles De Sahel Abobo.[1] He then played for ASEC Mimosas.[2] Yalcouyé made his debut in the CAF Champions League for ASEC Mimosas against Coton FC on 20 August 2023.[3]
He joined IFK Göteborg from ASEC Mimosas in the 2023–24 winter transfer window, agreeing to a contact until 31 December 2028.[4][5][6] He made his competitive debut for the club against Nordic United FC in 2023–24 Svenska Cupen on 18 February 2024.[7] He made his debut in Allsvenskan against Djurgårdens IF on 1 April 2024.[8] He scored his first league goal for the club on 29 April 2024 against IF Brommapojkarna.[9][10]
Brighton & Hove Albion
On 12 July 2024, Yalcouyé joined Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, signing a contract until June 2029.[11][12] In August 2024, he joined Austrian Bundesliga club Sturm Graz on a season-long loan deal.[13][14] On 14 August 2025, Yalcouyé joined EFL Championship club Swansea City on a season-long loan.[15]
Following his return to Brighton, Yalcouyé scored his first Premier League goal in a 4–3 away defeat against Chelsea on 30 August 2026.[16]
International career
Born in Mali and raised in Ivory Coast, Yalcouyé holds dual Ivorian and Malian citizenship. He is eligible to represent Ivory Coast, through having been raised there. [17] On 27 May 2025, he was called up to the Ivory Coast U23s for a friendly.[18] He debuted with the Ivory Coast U23s in a friendly 3–0 loss to the Netherlands U23s on 6 June 2025.[19]
Career statistics
- As of match played 5 September 2026[20]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| ASEC Mimosas | 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | — | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| IFK Göteborg | 2024 | Allsvenskan | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 14 | 1 | |||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2024–25 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2026–27 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | — | 5 | 1 | |||
| Total | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 5 | 1 | |||
| Brighton & Hove Albion U21 | 2024–25 | — | — | — | — | 1[e] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Sturm Graz (loan) | 2024–25 | Austrian Bundesliga | 26 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 8[f] | 0 | — | 36 | 4 | ||
| Swansea City (loan) | 2025–26 | Championship | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 73 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 93 | 7 | ||
- Includes Swedish Cup, Austrian Cup, FA Cup
- Appearance in CAF Champions League
- Appearances in UEFA Conference League
- Appearance in EFL Trophy
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
Honours
Sturm Graz
Individual
- Austrian Bundesliga Newcomer of the Season: 2024–25[21]
- Austrian Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2024–25[22]