FILE – In this Friday, June 15, 2018 file photo, Iran’s Alireza Jahanbakhsh celebrates his team’s victory after the group B match between Morocco and Iran at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the St. Petersburg Stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia. Iran winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh has joined Brighton for a club record fee, the English Premier League club said on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. The 24-year-old Jahanbakhsh signed a five-year contract after leaving Dutch club AZ Alkmaar. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, file)
LONDON — Iran winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh has joined Brighton for a club record fee, the English Premier League club said on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old Jahanbakhsh signed a five-year contract after leaving Dutch club AZ Alkmaar. Brighton did not disclose the fee but media reports put it at 17 million pounds ($22.4 million).
Jahanbakhsh’s 21 goals for AZ made him the top scorer in the Eredivisie last season.
“Ali is a player we have been aware of and monitored for a few years, and his versatility will increase our attacking options,” Brighton manager Chris Hughton said in a statement .
Jahanbakhsh played in all three of Iran’s games at the World Cup last month.
Brighton starts its league season on Aug. 11, Jahanbakhsh’s 25th birthday, at Watford which on Wednesday sold one of its World Cup players.
Morocco winger Noureddine Amrabat, 31, a magnet for controversy at the finals in Russia, left for Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia for an undisclosed fee.
Amrabat played in all three of Morocco’s World Cup games and was criticized by FIFA after each match for different incidents.
Firstly, FIFA noted the “questionable handling” of his head injury sustained against Iran in an opening 1-0 loss.
The organisers then condemned Amrabat’s allegation that United States referee Mark Geiger asked for Pepe’s shirt during Portugal’s 1-0 win over Morocco.
Finally, after Spain’s stoppage-time equalizer in a 2-2 draw, Amrabat directed an obscene comment about FIFA’s video review system at a television camera.