Nigerian forward Gift Orban finished his move to Italian Serie A side Hellas Verona from Hoffenheim on a season-long loan, with an option to make it a permanent transfer, according to the official statement.
“Hellas Verona FC extends a warm welcome to Gift, wishing him a future full of personal and professional success in the Gialloblù shirt,” the club’s media team stated.
At the same time, Hoffenheim’s representatives noted that this summer the German club recieved several enquiries for Orban’s transfer.
“Together, we decided on a loan transfer to Hellas Verona in Italy and are convinced that he will be able to fully show his qualities in Serie A next season,” said Managing Director for Sport Andreas Schicker.
Gift Orban X Hellas Verona 🟨🟦#WelcomeOrban #WeAreHellas #DaiVerona pic.twitter.com/LwABIqIk5H
— Hellas Verona FC (@HellasVeronaFC) August 27, 2025
Born in Benue, Orban began his football career at Bison FC, a club in his home country. In 2022, he moved to Stabæk, a club in Norway’s second division, making his league debut on May 26 of that year. In his first season, he scored 16 goals and provided 7 assists, helping Stabæk win promotion to the Eliteserien. He also finished as the OBOS-ligaen top scorer and was named Young Player of the Season.
In January 2023, he joined Gent, where he made his Pro League debut on February 11, scoring a brace in a 3-3 draw against Westerlo. Shortly after, he netted his first goal in European competition, in the return leg of the Conference League play-offs against Qarabag.
Hellas Verona to sign Gift Orban: €10m fee + wages – Transfer breakdown
In the same season, he set two records: with seven goals in five matches he became the highest-scoring debutant in the Pro League, and he also recorded the fastest hat-trick in UEFA competition history, scoring three goals in under four minutes against Istanbul Başakşehir. He closed the season with 20 goals and 2 assists in 22 matches for the Belgian side.
In 2024, he moved to Olympique Lyon, where he scored a total of 5 goals across Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France. In the second half of last season, he played for Hoffenheim, scoring 4 goals in 13 appearances.
