TURKISH champions Galatasaray are anxiously awaiting updates on the fitness of star striker Victor Osimhen, who faces a potential spell on the sidelines of three to five months after sustaining an arm injury in their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 second-leg clash against Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday, News Point Nigeria Sport reports.
Osimhen was brought down under a challenge from Ibrahima Konaté in the first half, and the club confirmed that the Nigerian fractured his arm in the process.
Galatasaray’s 1-0 advantage from the first leg was not enough, as they lost 4-1 on aggregate after conceding four unanswered goals at Anfield.
After the game, the club provided an update on Osimhen’s injury, stating that a decision will be taken on whether the 27-year-old will undergo surgery.
“In the first half of our away match against Liverpool in the Champions League round of 16 second leg, our player Victor Osimhen took a blow to his arm and completed the first half, but following checks at halftime, he was not played in the second half due to the risk of a fracture in his arm,” Galatasaray said in a statement.
“After the match, under the supervision of our medical team, examinations at the hospital revealed a fracture in our player’s right forearm, and it was cast. A decision regarding surgery will be made in the coming days following further evaluations.”
It remains to be seen whether the striker will opt for surgery, with a possible recovery timeline of between three to five months.
Despite their exit from the Champions League, Galatasaray will still be banking on Osimhen’s prowess in their pursuit of the Super Lig and domestic cup titles.
He has scored 19 goals and provided seven assists in 29 games across all competitions this season, helping the club to a four-point lead in the league.
He also recorded seven goals and three assists in 10 UEFA Champions League matches before their exit.
In the meantime, the striker is reportedly taking time off away from Turkey before a decision is made on his injury.
Turkish journalist Ali Naci Küçük reports that the situation is being monitored closely, with a possibility of an early return during the international break.
“The fracture healing with the cast is the hoped-for best-case scenario. The issue of Osimhen’s surgery will be evaluated next week.”
Osimhen has been left out of Nigeria’s 23-man squad for this month’s friendly matches against Jordan and Iran, scheduled to be played in Turkey.