An official from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has revealed that they have invited Gent striker, Gift Orban, to play in the U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea.

Orban has been in impressive form since joining Gent from Stabak, scoring 12 goals in nine games across all competitions, including a hat-trick in three minutes during a recent Europa Conference League match.

Despite Nigeria U23 coach Salisu Yusuf initially rejecting calls to include Orban in the squad, the NFF has decided to invite the 20-year-old forward to play in the upcoming qualifiers in Abuja.

The NFF official stated that Orban is eligible to play for Nigeria and has been contacted by the NFF’s representatives, with assurance that he will be available for the games.

” They (coaches) said they don’t know him and will look at him after the games against Guinea if they make it to the U23 Cup of Nations but we refused. How can you snub a player like that who is eligible for your team? We (NFF) established contacts with his representatives and the club will get a letter of his invitation”, he told owngoalnigeria.

” He (Orban) will honor the call up because it’s in line with the final international window. We don’t have any concerns plus we have assurance from his agents that he will be available. That kind of form is not one that we will leave for the coaches to decide”, he concluded.

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