Five Nigerian players expected to move before close of transfer window

The summer transfer window for the year 2023 has seen some Nigerian players such as Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Boniface, Kenneth Omeruo, Josh Maja, and Akor Adams join new clubs.

With the window set to close on Friday, September 1, Guardian Sports takes a look at five Nigerian players likely to change clubs.

Gift Orban (Gent, Belgium)

Gent’s Nigerian forward Gift Emmanuel Orban celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round 1st leg football match between KAA Gent and Pogon Szczecin at the Ghelamco Arena in Gent on August 9, 2023. (Photo: AFP)

Fulham have set their sights on Orban as a like-for-like replacement for Serbian striker, Aleksandar Mitrovic who joined Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia for a reported £46million.

The Cottagers are ready to challenge Tottenham Hotspur for the signing of Orban whom Spurs see as a direct replacement for Harry Kane who joined Bayern Munich earlier this month.

Orban was the highest scoring Nigerian in Europe during the 2022/23 season after scoring a total of 38 goals in 45 games for Stabaek of Norway and Gent in Belgium.

He had scored 18 goals in 23 matches across all competitions for Stabaek before departing the Norwegian league club for Belgian First Division A club, Gent in the winter transfer window.

The explosive Orban scored 15 goals in 16 league matches since joining Gent only in January. The 21-year-old also scored 20 goals in 22 games in all competitions for Gent.

He scored six goals in four play-off games and bagged nine goals in the regular league season. Also in last season’s UEFA Europa Conference League, Orban had five goals in six games.

This season, Orban has a tally of six goals in six games and as the Nigerian still has four years left on