Gift Orban completes loan move to Serie A

Nigerian forward Gift Orban will try his luck in Italy’s Serie A after completing a loan move to Hellas Verona from German Bundesliga club Hoffenheim on Wednesday.

 

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The 23-year-old arrives in Verona with plenty to prove after a bright start to life in Europe has transitioned into a period of stagnation. Orban fell out of favor at Hoffenheim during the height of the club’s struggles as they narrowly avoided relegation last season.

After not being included in the matchday squads for Hoffenheim’s opening two Bundesliga games this season, Orban’s exit was confirmed. Hellas Verona paid a reported loan fee of €500,000 and have an option to purchase Orban on a permanent basis.

Orban made a name for himself as a 19-year-old with Norwegian club Stabæk, bursting onto the scene with a remarkable 16 goals and 6 assists in 22 games in his debut season. The Nigerian, who arrived in Norway after impressing scouts in a showcase tournament, was co-leading scorer in the Norwegian second tier that season while guiding his club to promotion and eventually a highly profitable transfer fee.

Belgian club KAA Gent purchased Orban for €4.5 million and he continued his goal-scoring heroics with 15 goals in his first 16 league games while also scoring two hat-tricks in the UEFA Conference League. However, his career has stalled since a big-money move to French Ligue 1 club Lyon, where the goals dried up before his move to Hoffenheim last season where he did not fare any better.

Verona provides a new destination for Orban, still young at this point, to rediscover his goal scoring form. The club played to a 1-1 draw at Udinese in their Serie A opener on Monday and next face Lazio away from home on Sunday.

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