Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is set to miss Nigeria’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches after sustaining a knee injury that requires surgery.
The injury occurred during Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League encounter with VfB Stuttgart, prompting concerns over the availability of the Nigerian international for the national team’s forthcoming fixtures.
Galatasaray confirmed the development in a statement on Friday, disclosing that medical examinations revealed a strain in Osimhen’s left knee, alongside a loose body detected through an MRI scan.
The Turkish club said the 26-year-old striker would undergo arthroscopic surgery on Saturday at Maslak Acıbadem Hospital, with the procedure to be performed by the club’s medical chief, Yener İnce.
According to the club, Osimhen had also been withdrawn from the squad for its next fixture against Amed S. F. following the injury.
His absence is expected to deal a significant blow to Nigeria’s attacking options ahead of the AFCON qualifying encounters against Tanzania scheduled for November 13 and 17.
The former African Footballer of the Year remains one of the Super Eagles’ key attacking figures, and his unavailability could force the team’s technical crew to reconsider its forward line-up for the matches.
However, Galatasaray has yet to disclose how long the striker will be sidelined, leaving uncertainty over his recovery timeline.
The Super Eagles will be hoping for a successful operation and a speedy return to action.
