Galatasaray Provides Injury Update on Victor Osimhen After Striker Returns to Turkey
- Galatasaray has confirmed Victor Osimhen has been diagnosed with ankle ligament damage after limping off against Rwanda
- The Nigerian forward has not travelled with the Super Eagles squad to South Africa after he returned to Turkey
- Osimhen has scored three goals in the qualifiers and will be a big miss for Nigeria against Bafana Bafana
Galatasaray have released an official medical update on Victor Osimhen following the injury he suffered in Nigeria’s 1-0 win over Rwanda last weekend.
The 26-year-old striker pulled up in the first half after a clash with a defender and could not continue the game at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
Source: Twitter
Osimhen immediately flew back to Istanbul on a private jet arranged by Galatasaray while his Super Eagles teammates travelled to South Africa for their next qualifier.
Club doctor Yener İnce confirmed in a bulletin on Tuesday that Osimhen sustained ankle ligament damage.
Scans carried out at the club’s partner hospital revealed a moderate sprain with stretching and bleeding in the Nigerian forward’s ankle.
“In the examinations performed today at our sponsor hospital for our Football A Team player Victor Osimhen, a moderate sprain (stretching and bleeding) was detected in his ankle ligaments and the necessary treatment has been initiated in order for our football player to return to the field as soon as possible,” Galatasaray released in an official statement.
The injury is the first major setback for Osimhen since completing his summer transfer from Napoli, and it raises questions about how long he will be unavailable for both club and country.
How will Osimhen’s injury hurt Nigeria?
Osimhen’s injury setback comes at a crucial stage for Nigeria in their push for a 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket.
Source: Getty Images
The 26-year-old striker has scored three goals in the qualifiers but has already missed five matches for Nigeria due to earlier fitness problems.
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Eric Chelle speaks about Victor Osimhen's absence for South Africa clash: “We are together”
The Super Eagles, who sit six points behind South Africa in Group C per FIFA.com, now face the Bafana Bafana in Bloemfontein without their biggest attacking threat.
Coach Eric Chelle will rely on Cyriel Dessers, Tolu Arokodare, and Ademola Lookman to fill the void left by Osimhen.
Arokodare, who scored the winner against Rwanda, is likely to get more minutes, while Lookman’s versatility could give the attack a different edge.
Nigeria cannot afford to drop more points, and the team’s margin for error has grown thinner without Osimhen in the squad.
Galatasaray also affected by Osimhen’s injury
The timing of the injury also complicates Galatasaray’s season.
Osimhen made a fast start to life in Istanbul, scoring twice in his first two league appearances. His form had quickly made him a fan favourite and a central figure in Okan Buruk’s attack.
Now, Galatasaray must cope without him as they resume their league title defence against Eyupsor in the Super Lig.
More importantly, they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League next week, where Osimhen’s absence could alter their attacking approach.
Galatasaray are yet to detail how long Osimhen will be out for, and the Turkish champions will have to rely on Mauro Icardi in his absence.
Chelle unbothered about Osimhen’s absence
In another report, Legit.ng reported that Super Eagles boss Chelle has spoken about Osimhen's absence during his pre-match conference ahead of facing South Africa.
The Malian-born tactician insists he has enough big stars in the Super Eagles squad to cover for the absence of the Galatasaray forward for the must-win game.
Source: Legit.ng
