Orban tipped for Super Lig award

Turkish football pundit Sergen Yalçın has backed Amedspor striker Gift Orban to be named the Turkish Super Lig Player of the Week after his hat-trick in the club’s 5-0 win over İstanbul Başakşehir, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Yalçın described Orban as the clear choice for the individual award after the Nigerian produced a ruthless display against Başakşehir, praising his physical strength and athleticism.

“The player of the week is clear: Amed’s centre forward Gift Orban. Good player, very physically strong and also a good athletic player, scored three goals too. Undoubtedly the player of the week, one hundred per cent,” Yalçın told HT Spor.

The hat-trick took Orban’s tally to six goals in five Super Lig appearances, while he has also provided one assist since joining newly promoted Amedspor on loan from Hoffenheim.

After drawing blanks in his opening two league matches, the 24-year-old opened his account against Trabzonspor before scoring twice in the 2-2 draw with Kasimpasa. He then produced his first Super Lig hat-trick against Başakşehir.

The impressive start represents a return to form for Orban, who struggled to reproduce the prolific scoring form that made him one of the most sought-after young strikers during his time at Gent.

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The Nigerian scored 28 goals and provided two assists in 44 appearances for Gent before joining French side Lyon for €14m in January 2024. He managed only five goals in 21 appearances for the French club before moving to Hoffenheim in January 2025.

His time in Germany also proved difficult, with Orban scoring four goals in 13 appearances before spending last season on loan at Hellas Verona, where he scored seven goals and provided two assists in 29 games.

Following Verona’s relegation to Serie B, Hoffenheim opted against retaining the striker for the 2026/27 season and sent him on loan to Amedspor, where he has quickly rediscovered his scoring touch.

Orban is now joint-top scorer in the Turkish top flight with six goals, level with fellow Nigerian Victor Osimhen, and will look to extend his tally when Amedspor host Beşiktaş in their next league fixture on Sunday.

Orban also has a history of producing against Istanbul opposition, having scored a hat-trick against Başakşehir for Gent in the Europa Conference League in 2023. His treble, completed in two minutes and 50 seconds, was recorded as the fastest hat-trick in European competition history.