1 month ago
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Nigeria international Gift Orban admitted he had a difficult start to his Olympique Lyon career following his winter arrival at the Ligue 1 club.
During an interview with Flashscore, the 22-year-old described his first season at the club as challenging, having struggled to adapt to life at Groupama Stadium.
After an outstanding season with Belgian club Gent, the Benue-born striker was signed by the seven-time Ligue 1 champions in January 2024 for a reported fee of €12m.
He managed just three goals in 16 appearances across all competitions, but greater expectations were placed on the Nigerian following his arrival at the club.
Orban acknowledges that he initially struggled to adjust to his new environment but now feels settled and ready to contribute to the club’s efforts to re-establish themselves as one of the top teams in Europe.
“It was my first time at the club, and it was difficult to settle in because I was playing under a new manager and in a different environment,” he said.
“Not getting many minutes on the pitch made things even more challenging, but that’s normal in football. I’ll just keep working hard.
“The French league is tough and very physical, but I have no excuses—I’m here to give my best. My relationship with my manager, Pierre Sage, is good, as there’s mutual respect between us.”
Lyon lost 2-0 to Arsenal in Sunday’s Emirates Cup clash, but the striker said they were focused on having a great season.
“We’re disappointed with the loss to Arsenal, but it was a challenging match against a formidable opponent,” Orban added.
“Even though we gave it our all, we came up short. That’s how football goes, but we’ve moved on from the loss.
“We’ll keep putting in the hard work, as the main target is to ensure we have a great season.”
