Galatasaray, Nigeria avoid Osimhen injury row

By Tosin Omojola

Galatasaray officials have intensified efforts to avoid a club-versus-country dispute with Nigeria over prolific striker Victor Osimhen.

Osimhen, who is not yet fully fit, was named in the Super Eagles squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

The Istanbul club has, however, kept Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) updated on the striker’s recovery.

Turkish football pundit Serhan Türk said information about Osimhen’s injury had been communicated to Nigerian national team officials.

Another Turkish journalist, Ali Naci Küçük, wrote on X that Galatasaray had initially hoped Osimhen would recover in time to feature, at least from the bench, against Trabzonspor.

“Actually, the goal was for Osimhen to make it to the Trabzonspor match. At least for the bench. But because he felt groin pain during training on Thursday, they decided not to take that risk,” Küçük wrote.

“Galatasaray doesn’t aim to take too many risks with Osimhen.”

Osimhen has missed Galatasaray’s last two matches since sustaining the injury.