Barely arrived, OL’s latest recruit might already play this Friday once morest Rennes. “It is fully operational. Everything is there so that he can play,” said OL coach Pierre Sage, even if he is not expected to start the match.

By signing for Lyon, from La Gantoise for compensation of twelve million euros, he will have to help his club get out of the rut in Ligue 1, stuck in sixteenth place in the standings following 18 days (16 points).

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Orban scored 20 goals in 22 matches last season with La Gantoise, following a successful first appearance with the professional team in the 2022/2023 financial year (16 goals, 7 assists in 22 matches).

A fairly young offensive sector

This season, Orban has experienced more difficulties, which have notably caused him to lose his status as an indisputable starter, despite his 12 goals in 30 matches in all competitions, including four in the Europa Conference League.

In Lyon, despite the difficult situation of the Rhone club which is struggling to maintain itself, he is supposed to take a step forward in a team whose offensive sector is quite young: Rayan Cherki (20 years old), Ernest Nuamah (20 years old) or even Malick Fofana (18 years old) are responsible for supporting the indestructible veteran Alexandre Lacazette (32 years old, 17 matches, 9 goals).

“Gift brings a lot of joy and enthusiasm. It’s fresh. This will allow us to stimulate the group and it has the desire to impose itself, to have playing time and to perform well. It’s good,” rejoices Pierre Sage.

An axis player

“He is a player who is very comfortable in finishing situations, one-on-one, even long shots,” he added. “He’s a real goalscorer, a surface player who moves quite short distances. He moves on quickly.”

The Rhone coach will be able to bring a “new dynamic to his group” and “variety” to the Lyon attack. He also hopes to be able to create “uncertainty among (his) adversaries”.

“He’s an axis player” rather than an overflow winger, also says Pierre Sage. Enough to compete with Lacazette at the center forward position? Probably not.

“This rather implies that we play with players supporting the striker or with two players in front. This brings possibilities but, in absolute terms, he is more of an axis player,” explains the Lyon technician.

Other recruits before the end of the transfer window

This winter, in addition to Gift Orban, OL also recruited Belgian striker Malick Fofana, also from La Gantoise, as well as Brazilians Lucas Perri, a goalkeeper, and Adryelson, a defender, from Botafogo.

Pierre Sage is still hoping for other recruits before the end of the transfer window: two midfielders, an additional central defender and another offensive player are notably expected.

At the same time, OL is seeking to correct recruitment errors for 2023 by organizing the exfiltration of certain players who are not up to standard.

Jeffinho, who arrived a year ago, left for Botafogo and the loan of Diego Moreira, who arrived from Chelsea this summer, did not go further than January.