Nigerian striker Gift Orban targets career revival with Verona switch

The 23-year-old has endured a difficult spell in recent seasons, slipping from one of Europe's most talked-about young forwards to a player fighting for relevance, Pan Africa Football wrote.

After being left out of Hoffenheim's matchday squads for the opening two Bundesliga fixtures, his departure became inevitable. Verona paid a reported 500,000-euro loan fee and hold the option to make the deal permanent.

Orban's rise was meteoric. At just 19, he lit up Norway with Stabek, smashing 16 goals and six assists in 22 games to lead them to promotion.

That earned him a 4.5-million-euro move to KAA Gent in Belgium, where his ruthless finishing continued - 15 goals in his first 16 league matches and two memorable hat-tricks in the UEFA Conference League.

But his trajectory stalled after a big-money move to French giants Lyon. The goals dried up, confidence waned, and a switch to Hoffenheim last season offered little relief as the German club scraped survival.

Now, Verona represents both a challenge and a lifeline. The Italian side began their Serie A campaign with a 1-1 draw against Udinese and travel to Lazio on Sunday. For Orban, it is a chance to prove he still belongs among Europe's elite strikers.

At 23, time is still on his side - but Verona may be the stage where he must either reignite his spark or risk fading from the spotlight.