Injured in his left knee against Stuttgart, Victor Osimhen underwent successful surgery on 7 November at the Acıbadem hospital in Maslak. The Galatasaray striker, joint top scorer in the Süper Lig, is missing from Nigeria’s squad for the double header against Tanzania.
Galatasaray announced on Saturday 7 November a “successful surgical procedure” at the Acıbadem hospital in Maslak, carried out by Yener İnce, the club’s doctor. According to L’Équipe, it was an arthroscopy of the left knee intended to clean out the joint. The injury dates back to Tuesday 3 November, during the Champions League match against Stuttgart (2-0).
An MRI had revealed the presence of a “loose fragment” in the left knee joint, L’Équipe reports. At 27, the Nigerian striker must therefore deal with this physical setback, between Galatasaray’s European matches and the AFCON 2027 qualifiers with Nigeria.
No return date set
Galatasaray has not announced any precise return date, according to L’Équipe. The Daily Post, cited by Apex Football, mentions an absence of around three weeks, an estimate the club has not confirmed. The medical staff is currently carrying out daily assessments to determine the length of his unavailability.
In the meantime, Osimhen has been withdrawn from the squad for the Süper Lig match against Amed Sportif Faaliyetler, according to the club’s statement relayed by LiveScore. The Turkish daily Fanatik, taken up by Apex Football, believes he should also miss the league match against Samsunspor.
One striker fewer for the leaders
Osimhen carries real weight in the Süper Lig. At 27, he shares the top of the scoring charts with 9 goals, level with his compatriot Gift Orban, according to L’Équipe. That output goes hand in hand with Galatasaray’s position, top of the league two points clear of their nearest challengers before matchday 11.
Deprived of their striker, the club must keep up the pace in the league and manage the rest of their European campaign. His withdrawal from the squad for Amedspor is the first visible consequence of his unavailability: it remains to be seen how many more matches will be added to that list.
Nigeria without their striker
The injury extends beyond Turkish borders. On Saturday, Nigeria announced a 24-man squad for the double header against Tanzania, without Osimhen’s name, according to the Daily Post relayed by Apex Football. The two matches, Nigeria v Tanzania on 13 November 2026 and then Tanzania v Nigeria on 17 November 2026, count towards the AFCON 2027 qualifiers.
Before those matches, Nigeria have 3 points from two matchdays, with a 2-1 win against Madagascar and a 3-0 defeat against Guinea-Bissau, according to SABC Sport. Head coach Eric Chelle must now make do without his striker, the fifth most prolific player in the Turkish league.