Gift Orban: Lecce eye move for Hoffenheim and Nigeria-Togo striker

Gift Orban, the Nigeria-Togo centre-forward currently at Hoffenheim, is being linked with a move to Serie A side Lecce as the Italian club explore options to strengthen their attack.

The 23-year-old, who returned to Hoffenheim this summer after a loan spell at Hellas Verona, is under contract with the Bundesliga club until 30 June 2029, meaning any deal is likely to require a substantial fee. Orban’s current valuation is around €7m, and Lecce are understood to be assessing whether Hoffenheim’s demands will fit within their budget.

Orban has recent experience in Italian football, making 28 Serie A appearances and scoring seven goals with three assists, a record that has kept him on the radar of clubs in the division. His previous spell in Belgium with KAA Gent was particularly prolific in European competition, where he scored 10 goals in 11 Conference League matches, underlining his threat in front of goal.

Hoffenheim signed Orban from Lyon in January 2025 for €9m, and his subsequent loan to Verona last season allowed him to adapt further to Serie A. Earlier in his career he was named top scorer in Norway’s OBOS-ligaen with 16 goals in the 2021-22 campaign and collected a player-of-the-season award in Belgium in 2023, achievements that helped establish his reputation in European club football.

For now, Orban remains a Hoffenheim player preparing for the new Bundesliga season, with Lecce monitoring the situation as they consider whether to turn their interest into a formal offer.