De Morgen have claimed that Tottenham Hotspur face several potential issues in getting a deal for Gift Orban over the line, including the fact that the striker is leaning towards joining Lille over the North London club.
There has been plenty said and written about Spurs‘ pursuit of Orban over the last few weeks but it emerged on Monday (Football Insider) that the Lilywhites were set to face competition from Premier League rivals, Fulham, for the striker’s signature.
The publication added that the Cottagers are keen on signing a centre-forward following Aleksandar Mitrovic’ss sale to Al-Hilal and have identified the 21-year-old as a potential target to replace the Serbian.
GENT, BELGIUM – JULY 27: Gift Orban of AA Gent pictured after the UEFA Europa Conference League season 2023 – 2024, second qualifying round, first leg match between KAA Gent and MSK Zilina on July 27, 2023 in Ghent, Belgium. (Photo by Isosport/MB Media/Getty Images)
Gift Orban prefers Lille over Tottenham Hotspur
De Morgen have now also backed up Fulham’s interest in Orban and they claim Lille are also circling around the Nigerian.
They state that Tottenham remain in ‘close contact’ with the player’s entourage and plan to make a concrete offer for him after they trim their squad.
However, it is suggested that Orban would either have to be content with a backup role at Spurs or potentially head out on loan after signing for the club.
The outlet explains that the Premier League side’s plans ‘may not please’ the centre-forward. The report also adds that the Gent star ‘would prefer Lille’s sporting project’ but the Ligue 1 club are not thought to be in a position to meet his €30m (£25.6m) asking price.
De Morgen also add that the aforementioned price tag could also make both Spurs and Fulham ‘think twice’ about making a move for Orban this summer.
Spurs Web Opinion
I fully expect Tottenham to push ahead with a move for Orban once they offload a few of Lloris, Ndombele, Tanganga, Reguilon and Sanchez over the coming days.
However, it is entirely possible that the 21-year-old might be hesitant regarding a move to North London and could prioritise joining a club where he is guaranteed regular football.
