What was exclusively reported over a week ago is now a fact: Striker flop Gift Orban will leave TSG Hoffenheim for Turkey.
It took a while, but the outcome is as expected: Gift Orban will finally leave TSG Hoffenheim for Turkey. The striker, who was signed from Lyon in the winter of 2025 for nine million euros and turned out to be a flop, will initially be loaned to Turkish promoted side Amed SK Diyarbakir, which holds a purchase option.
The purchase option could become a mandatory transfer
“After his strong scoring record at Hellas Verona, we received several inquiries about him. Together, we decided on a transfer to Amed SK, where he can prove his qualities in a competitive league,” says Hoffenheim’s sporting director Paul Pajduch. The Nigerian is set to move to central Turkey on loan for one million euros; in addition, both parties agreed to a purchase option that can become a mandatory buyout under certain conditions—presumably if Amed SK avoids relegation. The final purchase price is set at an additional four million euros. If this plan works out, Hoffenheim could still manage to limit its losses to some extent.
Orban scored the fastest hat trick in European cup competition
Although the 24-year-old had scored four goals in 13 Bundesliga matches, his growing dissatisfaction increasingly turned him into a source of unrest, forcing the Kraichgau-based club to act quickly. Just half a year after his signing, Orban had already been loaned out again for a fee of half a million euros. Although the Nigerian scored seven goals in Serie A for Hellas Verona last season, he ultimately couldn’t prevent the team’s relegation. In addition, the hothead made headlines after getting into a scuffle with a Verona fan.
Lecce had also reportedly shown interest in signing the stocky center forward (1.78 m), but in the end, Amed SK won the race for Orban—who had failed to make it at Hoffenheim and is still formally under contract with TSG until 2029. This may be one reason why Orban has made such a lasting impression in Turkey: While playing for KAA Gent, he scored the fastest hat trick in a European cup competition in March 2023, netting three goals in just three minutes and 24 seconds during a 4-1 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir FK.
