Who is Gift Orban? There is a good chance Tottenham Hotspur will need a new striker soon, and this talented young attacker has been heavily linked with a move to North London.
With Harry Kane‘s future hanging in the balance, Tottenham are going to need some firepower should they have to replace their star striker. It won’t be easy to fill those legendary boots, but Gift Orban may just have the potential to make Spurs fans forget all about their all-time top scorer.
According to The Daily Mail, Orban is one of three up-and-coming attackers that the Lilywhites have earmarked as possible successors to Kane.
He’s only been with his current club since January, but he may be leading the line at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium soon, so here’s all you need to know about Gift Orban.
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Name: Gift Emmanuel Orban
Age: 21-years-old
Place of birth: Nigeria
Current club: KAA Gent
Former clubs: Stabæk, Bison FC
International appearances: 0 caps for Nigeria
Club appearances: 48 appearances, 41 goals (Transfermarkt)
Gift Orban career stats
Gift Orban has been in ludicrous form so far in 2023, averaging very nearly a goal per game for Gent. The forward bagged 20 goals in 22 games last season (Transfermarkt) and has already kicked off the 2023/24 campaign with two goals in two games (Transfermarkt).
Across the Belgian league, Orban held the highest shots-on-target percentage of any player, with a 63% accuracy ratio. He also ranked third for goals per shot statistics, with a conversion rate of 0.27 goals per shot (FBref).
Before joining Gent in 2023, Orban was prolific for Stabæk in the Norwegian league, too. He scored 19 goals and registered seven assists in 24 games during the 2021/22 campaign (Transfermarkt).
Gift Orban strengths and weaknesses
If it wasn’t clear already, Gift Orban’s main talent lies in his ability to find the back of the net. The youngster is a natural goalscorer with an incredible range of finishing, and is able to both carve out opportunities for himself or act as a poacher in the box.
Orban is great with his feet and can be quite a tricky dribbler. He’s definitely the kind of player defenders hate facing, as he possesses frightening acceleration, agility, and an acute balance when carrying the ball.
Despite all these positives, Orban does struggle at times to put his body to good use. He often comes off second best in shoulder-to-shoulder battles, and is also vulnerable to losing the ball to pressure from behind if opponents choose to stay close to him.
What are people saying about Gift Orban?
In an article from The Final Third, Orban is described as a “prodigious talent” who is enjoying a “meteoric” rise in the world of European football. The piece notes how, since joining Gent, Orban has been an “unstoppable force” and a player who is at the beginning of a “truly special” journey.
A lengthy report from SoccerNet heralds Orban as the “next big talent” when it comes to exciting African players, and even compares the 21-year-old to the legendary Samuel Eto’o. It is suggested Orban has been attracting the attention of Barcelona who see him as a replacement for Lewandowski (Sport).
And, in a piece from EPL Index, Orban is called a “striking sensation” who has a “bright future ahead.” The report also commends Orban for his record-breaking hat-trick last season, where he scored three goals in just over three minutes to claim the fastest hat-trick in European football.
What do The Spurs Web think?
Gift Orban is set for the very top, and would be a fantastic acquisition by Spurs. He is a very different player to Harry Kane, and his relative lack of experience might mean he takes some time to adapt to the Premier League, but it would be very interesting to see him lead the line for Tottenham.
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