Lyon’s new transfer market move means Gift Orban’s days are numbered

Super Eagles striker Gift Orban may have to leave Olympique Lyon following their signing of Georgian striker Georges Mikautadze from Metz, Soccernet.ng reports.

Orban joined Lyon in January this year after his impressive exploits for Belgian club Gent. The 22-year-old striker moved from the lower tiers of Norwegian football to Gent in 2023, and he quickly adapted to life at the club.

He registered 32 goals and two assists in 52 appearances for Gent. Following his good showing in Belgium, Orban was linked with Barcelona, Lens, Tottenham, other clubs in the top five leagues. Orban even stated that he wanted to play in the Premier League.

He eventually got a move to Lyon in January, but the deal hasn’t panned out well for him. He registered three goals in 16 appearances for the club last season. This poor return was majorly because he had to play second fiddle to French striker Alexander Lacazzete. Lyon’s struggles also affected Orban, as the club finished sixth.

This summer Lyon have been quite active in the transfer market. They have signed players like Moussa Niakhate, Orel Mangala, and Ernest Nuamah. And their latest signing was Mikautadze from Metz.

The Georgian striker was impressive at Metz last season, registering 14 goals and four assists in 22 games. He also had a good outing at the just-concluded European Championships, with three goals for Georgia.

Mikautadze already has experience playing in France, and if he clicks at Lyon, he could easily become the first-choice striker.

Aside from Lacazette Mikautadze, Les Gones currently have Mama Balde, who also has a point to prove. All these players pose a big threat to Orban who is still trying to find his feet at Lyon.

After failing to impress last season, Orban will have to hit the ground running at Lyon next season. He would have to fight for every minute of playing time that he gets. If Orban does not start banging in the goals, Lyon would likely sell him or loan him out.