What happened to star signings your club never made?

Tottenham’s rumoured pursuit of Nigeria striker Gift Orban shows how quickly transfer-window hopes can fade. In summer 2023, the then-21-year-old arrived with momentum after 16 goals in 22 games for Stabæk, then 20 in 22 for Gent, including a record four-goal haul in a 6-2 win over Zulte Waregem and a hat-trick in the Conference League within three minutes and 25 seconds. Spurs, needing a Kane alternative after Harry Kane’s Bayern move, stalled at a £25m fee and the deal collapsed. Since then, Orban has played for four clubs, most recently loaned to Amedspor, scoring inconsistently across leagues.