Tottenham Hotspur reportedly felt £25 million was too much for Gift Orban but KAA Gent CEO Michael Louwagie clearly does not share that opinion with the Premier League giants.
According to Belgian publication Voetbal Krant, Tottenham got cold feet about bringing the free-scoring ‘phenomenon’ to North London in August, feeling that Gent’s £25 million asking price was a little on the steep side for a still-unproven 21-year-old who only arrived at the Ghelamco Arena in the winter window.
But, as far as Louwagie is concerned, the colossal fees splashed out by other Premier League clubs for the likes of Antony – swapping Ajax for Manchester United in an £86 million deal back in 2022 – provided more than enough justification as Gent refused to budge on Gift Orban’s valuation.
“That has already made me angry. Why do Ajax and PSV sell players like Antony for 95 million euros and others for easily 40 to 50 million?” Louwagie asks, speaking to Het Nieuwsblad.
“And why should we think that 30 million euros is too much, even though the competition here is at least as good (as in the Eredivisie)?
“But we are Flemish. (We) look at each other’s plates and are jealous, instead of all demanding higher prices and helping Belgian football progress.
Orban has a remarkable 26 goals in 31 games since joining Gent from Stabaek in January. Maintain his current rate of progress and a player who may have found himself under pressure to offset the departure of Harry Kane is all-but certain to be on his way out the door for a fee in excess of £25 million sooner rather than later.
“(Orban) is a phenomenon,” Gent coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck beamed following the youngster’s European hat-trick against Pogon Szczencin in August. “And he will continue to be a phenomenon. I’ve said it five times and I’ll keep saying it.
“Even if he is no longer here, he will remain a phenomenon, and I will continue to say that. His hat-trick? That is nothing special in itself anymore, is it?”
