In March 2023, playing for Belgian club Gent, Gift Orban wrote his name in the football history books by scoring the fastest hat-trick in the history of the UEFA club competition. The Nigerian striker scored three goals in three minutes and 25 seconds during Gent’s UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 second leg match against İstanbul Başakşehir. Now, after not shining, in Lyon, he signs for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.
In January 2024, Orban left Ghent to join Lyon for €14 million. A year later, with 5 goals in 21 games played, he went to Hoffenheim to relaunch his career in exchange for 10 million euros.
Orban, who scored 32 goals in 52 games for KAA Gent, signs “a long-term contract.” The deadline for this has not been specified.
“In Gift Orban we have found the fast striker with good depth that we were looking for,” says Andreas Schicker, General Director of Sports at Hoffenheim. He adds: “Gift has repeatedly demonstrated his goal threat and enthusiasm in his previous positions. We are convinced that his skills will give our team greater variability in attack.”