Victor Osimhen spotted with Galatasaray squad to face Genclerbirligi.

Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen has been included in Galatasaray's travelling squad for Saturday's crucial Super Lig fixture against Gençlerbirliği, raising hopes of a return for the Super Eagles striker who has been sidelined since suffering a broken arm against Liverpool in the Champions League last month.

Galatasaray posted images on X showing Osimhen alongside his teammates after the squad touched down in Ankara, with the club confirming: 

The Nigerian's presence in the travel party signals a significant boost for the Istanbul giants, who have visibly struggled without their talisman in recent weeks.

Coach Okan Buruk had hinted at the possibility of Osimhen featuring, telling reporters last week:

"For the Genclerbirligi match, if conditions are suitable, I think he could be in the squad."

To further protect the 27-year-old on his return, Galatasaray's medical team has developed a custom carbon fibre arm brace designed to shield the injury from impact without restricting his movement on the pitch.

The timing could not be more critical. Galatasaray head into Matchweek 31 sitting top of the Super Lig, but their lead over second-placed Fenerbahçe has been trimmed to just two points with five games remaining.

Since Osimhen's absence, the defending champions have dropped five points from a possible nine, a slump that has transformed what looked like a comfortable title defence into a nervy finale.

Genclerbirligi, by contrast, arrive in desperate circumstances of their own. The Ankara side sit 15th, just two points above the relegation zone, and are winless in their last nine league matches. 

They have not beaten Galatasaray since 2018, and the head-to-head record makes for grim reading, Galatasaray have won all four of their most recent meetings without conceding a goal.

Should Osimhen start, he will be looking to add to an already impressive season's tally of 19 goals and seven assists across all competitions in 29 appearances, numbers that rank him among the elite finishers in European football this term.

With the Genclerbirligi fixture serving as the warm-up act before a potentially title-deciding derby against Fenerbahçe on April 26, all eyes will be on whether Osimhen is fit enough to start or whether Buruk opts to ease him back from the bench as Galatasaray chase a fourth consecutive Süper Lig crown.