Gent coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck has now revealed that he told the Belgian club they should sell Gift Orban last summer because he feared the striker will not reproduce his sensational form.
He said the striker was ready for the transfer and even though the club may not get they wanted from the move, they would get enough money to buy two top strikers within Belgium.
“While in the summer I said internally: ‘Let us sell Gift Orban,” the Gent coach told HLN.
“We’re going to get a nice sum for it. Maybe not what you’re hoping for, but he’s waiting to go.
“And I fear that he will not perform the same as in his first six months.”
Gift Orban eventually moved this winter for about 13 Million Euros, far less than half the valuation Gent have of the player.
He had struggled to match the form he got off to on arrival from Norway.