Galatasaray president Dursun Özbek has given assurances that Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen will be back from injury within two weeks, making him available to represent Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Özbek provided the clearest update so far on Osimhen’s condition after the striker suffered an injury setback during Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup playoff loss to DR Congo.
The 26-year-old exited the match in the first half and later underwent an MRI in Istanbul, which showed a mild tear in his left posterior muscle along with internal bleeding. Despite initial fears, Galatasaray’s medical team is confident about his progress, and the club president confirmed the striker is already undergoing an accelerated rehabilitation programme.
“His MRI was performed here,” Özbek told Hurriyet. “He’ll likely have a recovery period of approximately two weeks. Our focus is on Osimhen being ready for the Fenerbahçe match. Our doctors are working on that.”
The Nigerian striker — Galatasaray’s record signing — will miss the upcoming league game against Gençlerbirliği as well as the Champions League fixture against Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise.
The club is instead aiming for his return in the crucial 1 December derby against Fenerbahçe, a fixture that often shapes the direction of the Turkish title race.
While Galatasaray hopes to have him back for club commitments, Osimhen’s recovery is equally vital for Nigeria, with AFCON 2025 set to begin on 21 December in Morocco. Earlier fears that the injury could jeopardise his participation have eased, as scans confirmed only a moderate muscle strain.
If his rehabilitation continues as expected, Osimhen will be fit to lead Nigeria’s attack when the Super Eagles face Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania in the group stage of the 2025 AFCON.