Gent technical director, Michel Louwagie has ruled out any possible move for Gift Orban during the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Nigerian youngster has been in scintillating form since joining the Belgian outfit from Norwegian side Stabaek FC during the winter transfer window in January, netting 14 goals in 14 apperances.
Orban’s displays have caught the attention of football enthusiasts across Europe especially after he scored the fastest hat-trick in a European competition in a 4-1 win over Istanbul Basaksehir in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Louwagie has now stressed that selling Orban in the summer will not be happening as he is still relatively a new player.
“Gift is a luxury problem. He still has a contract until 2027, and we didn’t get him at the end of January to sell again in July. We’ve never done that before,” Louwagie told Belgian publication, De Morgen.
The youngest hat-trick scorer in the Europa Conference League. Gift Orban. ✨@KAAGent || #UECL pic.twitter.com/P79HGW6AEA
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) March 15, 2023
According to some reports, Orban is valued at 20 million having been purchased by Gent for €3.5 million in January and when quizzed by De Morgen if Orban could go for such an amount, Louwagie was not assertive but cited putting that very price tag on another Nigerian in Moses Simon while he was with the club between 2015 and 2018.
“I am not going to comment on those 20 million. We’ll see what the price will be,” Louwagie continued.
“I once put 20 million euros on Moses Simon’s head, yes, but that was because the Dutch sell for 40, 50, 60 and now even 100 million euros. But when I talked about 20 million, it sounded: ‘That Louwagie catches them’.”
Orban’s effort sees Gent currently sit in fourth place in the Belgian Pro League, the final spot for the championship playoff round to determine the league champion.
