Belgian side KRC Gent have placed a price tag of €25 million on explosive 21-year-old striker, Gift Orban, while hoping Premier League sides would join a bidding war for the Nigerian.

There have been interest for the striker from French Ligue 1 sides LOSC Lille and RC Lens all through the summer but Gent are holding out for a huge financial windfall for the striker who took the Belgian League by storm despite joining the side in January.

Orban last season scored a total of 39 goals in 46 appearances across all competitions in the colours of Norweigian side Stabeak and Belgian club Gent. 

While he was relatively unknown during his time in Norway, his accumulated 20 goals in 22 games in all competitions for Gent has caught the eyes of top teams in Europe.  

According to reports in France, Gent are strategically holding off on talks with the French clubs over the sale of the Nigerian as they hope to ignite a bidding war between interested suitors which will in turn favour them financially.

Also read: Lille lead Lens in race to sign Gift Orban

They also hope that by allowing his transfer to linger into late August, a couple of Premier League teams may come asking for the striker which would automatically raise his fee. 

At the moment, Lille and Lens are front runners for the 21-year-old and according to reports, both teams have already tabled a bid for the Nigerian but are yet to receive a concrete reply from Gent. Lille are looking at the Nigerian as a suitable replacement for Jonathan David who is on the verge of departing from the club. 

Lens, on the other hand, are in the market for the Nigerian who they hope would replace 23-year-old Loïs Openda who recently joined German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig for €43 million.

Close sources to the former Stabeak striker have revealed that he favours a move to Lille. Although he joined Gent in January for €3.3m, his current market value stands at €20m according to reputable football statistics website, Transfermarkt.