20-goal striker snubbed by Super Eagles boss becomes Pro League’s Most Valuable Player

The exciting young forward is on the radar of some of Europe's biggest clubs after an excellent five months in Belgium

KAA Gent striker Gift Orban has emerged as the most valuable player in the highly competitive Belgian Jupiler League, Soccernet.ng reports.

In a recent update by Transfermarkt, Orban's market value skyrocketed to a staggering €20 million, surpassing the worth of all other players in the Belgian top flight. This remarkable rise saw Orban's value surge from a modest €1 million to that impressive height in just four months.

Gift Orban has made a resounding impact since he arrived in Belgium on transfer deadline day in January.

The 20-year-old Nigerian has notched up an astonishing 20 goals in 22 competitive games, including a remarkable four-goal performance against Zulte Waregem in mid-March. Days later, he achieved the fastest hat-trick in a European competition and wowed spectators with a sensational long-range strike off the crossbar against Standard Liege.

“With such an incredible rise to prominence in such a short period, Orban's reputation has quickly transcended national boundaries,” remarked Tamsyn, Transfermarkt's area manager. “It will be a challenge for Gent to retain him in the upcoming summer transfer window, and they may command a fee far exceeding the €3.3 million they paid for his services.”

Meanwhile, Orban's compatriot, Victor Boniface, has also experienced a surge in his stock value, reaching an impressive €12 million and securing the eighth spot in the MVP rankings.

Boniface's accomplishments include netting 22 goals across all competitions, with six of them elevating him to the joint-top scorer in the Europa League—an unprecedented achievement for a Nigerian player.

Orban's Super Eagles' omission

Despite their brilliance, Gift Orban and Victor Boniface were not included in the Super Eagles squad to face Sierra Leone this weekend, drawing criticism from disappointed fans.

Eagles boss Jose Peseiro has confessed that he snubbed Orban and Boniface because of the NFF's financial constraints and his preference for familiar players. 

Napoli's Victor Osimhen, Leicester City's Kelechi Iheanacho, and Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi have been invited to lead the line for Nigeria when they take on the Leone Stars in the matchday five encounter of the Afcon qualifiers.