AFCON Qualifiers: Fresh injury setback for Osimhen as Galatasaray confirm knee surgery

Victor Osimhen

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is set to undergo another surgery after Galatasaray confirmed that he will have an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee, raising doubts about his availability for Nigeria’s forthcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Tanzania.

The Turkish champions announced on Friday that the Nigerian forward sustained a strain in his left knee during their UEFA Champions League encounter against VfB Stuttgart.

An MRI examination subsequently detected a loose body in the affected knee, prompting the club to schedule surgery for Saturday at Maslak Acıbadem Hospital.

In a statement, Galatasaray said the procedure would be performed by the club’s doctor, Yener İnce.

The club also confirmed that Osimhen had been withdrawn from the squad for Saturday’s domestic fixture against Amed Sportif Faaliyetler.

The development is a major setback for Nigeria as they prepare for a double-header against Tanzania in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.

The Super Eagles will host the Taifa Stars in Uyo on 13 November before travelling to Tanzania for the return fixture on 17 November.

Osimhen’s expected absence would be another major blow to head coach Éric Chelle, who has previously had to manage the team’s attack without the Galatasaray forward.

The 27-year-old missed Nigeria’s opening two qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in September after struggling to recover from a muscle injury sustained during Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir on 4 September.

He was initially named in Chelle’s squad for those matches but was subsequently withdrawn after his recovery took longer than anticipated.

Galatasaray disclosed that medical examinations revealed a moderate-to-advanced strain with bleeding in his right adductor muscle group.

His latest injury, involving the left knee, presents a fresh fitness challenge for the striker, although Galatasaray are yet to provide a recovery timeline following the planned operation.

Nigeria are in Group L alongside Tanzania, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Tanzania, as one of the tournament’s co-hosts alongside Kenya and Uganda, have already secured automatic qualification for the 2027 finals, leaving the other three countries to contest the remaining qualifying place.

Tunde Eludini is a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria where he studied International Relations. He is a Senior Correspondent coordinating the sports section for PREMIUM TIMES. Twitter: @tundeyeludini