Victor Osimhen: Eric Chelle Explains Why Striker Chose Galatasaray Over Arsenal, Barcelona, Others
- Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle addressed the speculation surrounding Victor Osimhen's future at Galatasaray during the summer transfer window
- Chelle said his earlier comments about a possible Osimhen transfer were taken out of context by the media
- The Nigerian striker's absence from the national team squad was linked to an injury he had not fully recovered from before the international break
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has broken his silence on the circumstances surrounding Victor Osimhen's decision to remain at Galatasaray, clarifying remarks he made during the June international window that sparked widespread debate.
Osimhen attracted significant attention from top European clubs last summer, with Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Tottenham all reportedly monitoring the Nigerian striker.
Source: Getty Images
Despite the speculation, the former Napoli forward stayed put in Istanbul and repaid the club's faith with six goals in all competitions before injury cut short his momentum, according to data seen from Transfermarkt.
Chelle sets the record straight on Osimhen transfer
Speaking to RFU after the Super Eagles' 3-3 draw against Russia, Chelle addressed his earlier statements head-on, insisting his words had been misrepresented.
"Regarding my earlier comments about a possible transfer, they were misinterpreted. Victor likes Galatasaray, and the club is happy with Victor," the Malian coach said.
Chelle made clear that Osimhen's contentment in Turkey is genuine, and that transfer talk around a player of his calibre is simply part of football at the highest level.
"I consider him one of the best strikers in the world. When a player performs at such a level, there's always talk of transfers around him. I never said he wanted or should leave the club," he added.
During the June international break, Chelle had suggested that Osimhen was left out of the Super Eagles squad partly due to uncertainty surrounding his future.
Those remarks triggered considerable media attention. Chelle is now pushing back firmly against that interpretation.
Read also
Eric Chelle gives reason Osimhen, Lookman are absent from Super Eagles squad to face Russia
Chelle clarifies Osimhen's absence from Super Eagles
Beyond the transfer noise, Chelle also shed light on why Osimhen did not feature in the Super Eagles squad during the recent international window.
He explained that an agreement had been reached with Galatasaray for Osimhen to join the national team, provided he returned to match fitness in time.
"About 10-15 days before the international break, Victor got injured. We agreed that if he recovered and played for Galatasaray before the international break, the club would let him join us. But he couldn't play in that game because he hadn't recovered yet," Chelle said.
The coach added that Osimhen was included in the initial squad list precisely because his recovery timeline was still uncertain at the time of selection.
"We included him on the initial list because at that point we didn't know whether he would have time to recover. There is no conflict between the player, the club, or the national team," Chelle concluded.
The clarification draws a clear line under suggestions of any rift between Osimhen, Galatasaray, and the Super Eagles setup.
With the striker now focused on regaining full fitness, Nigeria will be hoping he returns to form ahead of future international fixtures as the country's 2027 qualifying campaign continues.
Osimhen's injury record amid Super Eagles absence
Legit.ng previously reported about Osimhen’s injury record with the Super Eagles amid claims that he deliberately avoids international duty.
The Galatasaray striker has missed 17 Nigeria matches through injury and twice left national team camp after getting hurt.
Source: Legit.ng
