Spurs face rivalry for Gift Orban as Barcelona eye him ahead of January transfer window

PLANS by English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspurs to sign Nigerian striking sensation Gift Orban during the next transfer window are now under threat after Real Madrid indicated an interest in signing him as a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski.

In July 2022, Lewandowski signed a four-year contract with Barcelona for a fee of €45m, potentially rising to €50m with add-ons. However, the Polish striker is 35 years old and Barcelona know that it is time to start to start looking for a replacement as his days are numbered.

Spurs were considering a move for Nigeria and Gent striker Gift Orban as a replacement for England skipper who left to join Bayern Munich in the summer. Orban, 21, has become one of the most sought-after striker in Europe of late after a breakthrough season with Genk that saw him register 20 goals in 22 appearances.

Losing Harry Kane was always going to be a significant blow for Spurs but Ange Postecoglou’s side have shown that they can get by without their former talisman. Thanks to the prolific form of James Maddison in particular, Spurs have not struggled to score this season but despite this, they still want to sign another striker.

Throughout the summer, Spurs had been heavily linked with Orban but the club was originally said to be put off by Gent’s lofty asking price of £30m. However, his prolific goalscoring record suggests he is worth that figure as he has scored 26 goals in 31 outings for Gent and Tottenham could now face some stiff competition for his signature.

According to Spanish online media outlet Fichajes.net, Barcelona sporting director Deco has been impressed with the Nigerian striker and the La Liga giants could look to make a move for him in 2024. Orban started the season with an impressive six goals from six games but he has failed to score in his last four games.

He was called up to the Super Eagles squad by head coach Jose Peseiro in the last international break but failed to play due to an injury, in what would have been his maiden appearance for Nigeria. Orban is seen as a potential world class player who can rival the likes of Victor Osimhen in the future.