Super Eagles and Galatasaray at loggerheads over Osimhen's fitness

Victor Osimhen’s fitness has become a concern for both Nigeria and Galatasaray after the Turkish champions confirmed that the Super Eagles striker is still recovering from an injury.

The development comes after Osimhen was included in Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

Osimhen picked up the injury during Galatasaray’s hard-fought 3-2 victory over Istanbul Başakşehir and has since missed the club’s last two matches against Kocaelispor and Sporting Lisbon.

His continued absence has now raised questions over whether he will be fit enough to join up with Nigeria for the crucial AFCON qualifying fixtures. Galatasaray confirmed on Friday that Osimhen will also miss their upcoming meeting with Trabzonspor as he continues his rehabilitation.

“Mario Lemina, Wilfried Singo, and Victor Osimhen, who are continuing their treatments, along with Kaan Ayhan, who felt pain in his Achilles tendon during the last training session, are not included in the squad for the Trabzonspor match,” the club stated.

The announcement puts Galatasaray’s assessment of Osimhen’s condition at odds with his inclusion in Eric Chelle’s latest Super Eagles squad, although his selection does not necessarily mean he will be available for both matches.

Osimhen has enjoyed a superb start to the campaign and his absence would be a major concern for Nigeria as the Super Eagles prepare for their qualifying fixtures.

The former Napoli striker has scored six goals and provided two assists in his first four league appearances for Galatasaray, establishing himself as one of the club’s most important attacking players once again.

Nigeria are scheduled to face Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in their upcoming AFCON qualifying matches, with Osimhen expected to play a key role if he recovers in time.

The striker will now focus on completing his recovery before the international break, while Galatasaray will be hoping he returns to full fitness before their own busy schedule intensifies.

For the Super Eagles, the immediate priority will be determining whether Osimhen can safely join the squad and feature, or whether his injury will force Chelle to look elsewhere for his goals.