Michel Louwagie, chief executive of Belgian football club, Gent, has admitted that the club took a risk signing Nigerian player Gift Orban from Stabæk Fotball during the January transfer window.
Prior to his move to Belgium, Orban was a relatively unknown figure, but his first steps among the game’s elite have left Europe’s top sides watching his goalscoring exploits with much interest.
Playing in the Norwegian Second Division as recently as October, the 20-year-old has scored nine goals in just eight Belgian League matches and five goals in four Europa League appearances.
Gent signed the Nigerian from Stabæk for €3.5m on the last day of the January transfer window, which was considered a major gamble by the Belgian press for someone who had only played a few months in the Norwegian Second Division.
In a quote by BBC, Louwagie said the club were brave to gamble on the Nigerian.
“The price was supposed to be lower, but it went up after David Datro Fofana was sold from Molde to Chelsea for 12m euros (£10.5m),” said Louwagie.
“It was a risk, but head of recruitment Samuel Cardenas kept telling me every day that we absolutely must sign him.”
“From the first time I watched Gift, I saw something special in him. His movement is exceptional, he is complete in the sense that he can combine and score in every way technically.
Credit: punchng.com
