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Where Tottenham currently stands on signing Gent’s Gift Orban

Gary Pearson
Gary Pearson

Hotspur HQ

Gent's Gift Emmanuel Orban celebrates after scoring during a soccer game between Belgian KAA Gent and Polish Pogon Szczecin, Wednesday 09 August 2023 in Gent, the first leg of the third qualifying round for the UEFA Europa Conference League competition. BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ (Photo by LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ / BELGA MAG / Belga via AFP) (Photo by LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

While rumours swirl around during the transfer window like strewn rubbish on a blustery afternoon, Gift Orban to Tottenham has serious staying power. 

It was reported yesterday, compliments of supposed transfer expert Ekrem Konur, that Orban has agreed personal terms with Tottenham. It’s almost impossible to corroborate his statement, as no other news outlet has doubled down on the comment.

Even Sacha Tavolieri, the “media personality” most influential for the Orban to Tottenham rumours, hasn’t confirmed Konur’s comment.

Honesty is always the best policy, at least 70 percent of the time. So I’ll call a spade a spade.

Tavolieri and Konur don’t inspire a ton of confidence.

Other mainstream outlets, including the Athletic, have covered the Gent-to-Tottenham speculation, but the airwaves have been silent recently.

Another miscellaneous report, this time from Nieuwsblad, a Belgian Flemish outlet, said Gent’s £30 million valuation for Orban is too rich for Tottenham’s blood, putting a supposed spanner in the current behind-the-scenes negotiation process.

There’s a lot to digest and dissect.

First, while Daniel Levy’s negotiation tactics are as infuriating as they are tedious, there is no way £30 million, for a 21-year-old of Orban’s elite potential, is too much.

Whether the Harry Kane proceeds were spent before his departure shouldn’t have any bearing on that. Spurs desperately need attacking reinforcements, and Orban is the perfectly suited suitor.

He’s only 21, has limitless upside, and has the skill set, physicality, quickness, and ruthlessness to impact first-team proceedings in N17 immediately.

If Tottenham has reservations about spending £30 million on a potential generational talent, the club is in serious jeopardy of drifting farther away from top Premier League clubs.

Tavolieri recently suggested Tottenham were on the cusp of submitting an official bid for Orban. With only two weeks remaining in the transfer period, Tottenham can’t wait as long as it did to pull the trigger on Micky van de Ven.

Thank goodness.

The opening bid is expected this week. And Tottenham will eventually be forced to capitulate and pay Gent’s £30 million asking price. There’s almost no chance the Belgian side will lower its valuation, especially considering the outrageous money being spent by other Premier League teams, namely Chelsea.

Don’t even get me started on their ludicrous recent expenditures.

Gent might budge slightly, although probably only regarding add-ons and payment structure.

So, after all that, what’s the current status of yet another drawn-out, could-be, should-be, will-it-be scenario?

Tottenham knows acutely the importance of signing another striker.

And after the dust settled on all other potential forward targets, Orban is the guy directly in Spurs’ crosshairs.

That said, there’s a high likelihood Spurs will get this deal done and sign Orban in the next week or so.

In the meantime, be prepared to lose hair, go more grey, over-drink, and involuntarily bite your nails, as we all know what Tottenham is like when a prospective transfer gets down to the nitty-gritty.

But stay the course on this one; surely it’s going to happen.

Gary Pearson

Gary Pearson

A freelance sports journalist, Gary primarily focuses his attention on football coverage (proper football, that is). He is a sports aficionado and has lived in five continents – Africa, Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Currently residing in the mountainous region of Canmore, Canada, his family hails from jolly old England while he spent the lion's share of his formative years in Calgary, Canada, home of the Calgary Stampede, the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and the 1989 Stanley Cup Champions. He is an ardent Flames and Tottenham Hotspur supporter and dreams of more fruitful days, when the Flames once again lift Lord Stanley aloft, a seemingly impossible goal if the past few decades is anything to go by. Spurs are closer to glory, but are still starving for the rapturous joy their supporters so obviously deserve.