Only four more expensive attackers
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TSG Hoffenheim made their first transfer of the winter and signed Gift Orban (22) from Olympique Lyonnais. After lengthy negotiations, the Bundesliga club secured the striker’s contract, for which RC Lens also reportedly bid. With a transfer fee of at least 9 million euros, the Nigerian, excluded from OL, constitutes one of the most expensive purchases in the club’s history. Only four TSG strikers were more expensive, Orban gets long-term contract. According to Lyon, the transfer fee could increase by 3 million euros, of which 1 million is even guaranteed. In the event of a future winning transfer, 7.5 percent would also go to Olympique.
A year ago, Lyon, in financial difficulties and having to make sales in winter, paid a basic fee of 12 million euros to KAA Gent, which has now been increased to 14 million euros thanks to bonuses. This season, Orban spent 259 minutes on the pitch in five matches and scored two goals. His last appearance was in the 2-2 draw against TSG Hoffenheim in early November, and since then he hasn’t even been part of the French team. In the latest Ligue 1 market value update, Orban was reduced from 15 million to 10 million euros, still making him one of the most valuable professionals in the Hoffenheim team.
On paper, TSG coach Christian Ilzer’s attack is well endowed in terms of numbers, but apart from top scorer Andrej Kramaric (33), it lacks constants. Mergim Berisha (26 years old), Max Moerstedt (18 years old) and Haris Tabakovic (30 years old) have not even reached 600 minutes in all competitions, Ihlas Bebou (30 years old) has not yet played this season due to a knee operation. The flexible Adam Hlozek (22) and Marius Bülter (31) also increasingly put themselves on the front line. TSG paid a total of 35 million euros for Berisha, Hlozek and Tabakovic. The three have met but only eight times in 66 appearances. During his stay in Belgium, Orban scored 32 goals in 52 matches.
“Orban doesn’t play because of the competition,” explained Joachim Durand, Content Manager France at (Site notre blog d’information), a few weeks ago. “He is the third center forward in the OL hierarchy behind Alexandre Lacazette, the indispensable captain, and Georges Mikautadze, for whom the club invested a large sum this summer. So he has to make do with the crumbs left behind the two of them. His great qualities are his strength and finishing, but he is not necessarily technically skilled or very good at playing with his teammates.
Thanks to Orban’s commitment, Hoffenheim’s spending will amount to more than 60 million euros this season. The club’s track record continues to grow. This amount previously stood at €55 million in the 2019/20 season (an overview of all Hoffenheim transfers per season).
