A possible return date from injury for Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen has been confirmed by the head coach in his latest interview.
Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has provided fresh update in his latest pre-match press conference into Victor Osimhen’sinjury, explaining to reporters that the Super Eagles of Nigeria forward is back in training but with some form of discomfort.
He stated, “He joined part of the training session and is dealing with some minor discomfort. If he can handle the pain, we’re hopeful he’ll be available for our next match.”
Buruk added that Osimhen’s determination to feature against Premier League opposition, Liverpool on the second matchday of the Champions League remains clear, “We’ll test him again in training. He played for around 10 minutes yesterday, but the pain is still there. We expect him in the squad for the Alanyaspor game and we believe he’ll be ready for the Liverpool match.”
However, Sporx reports that Galatasaray are unlikely to take unnecessary risks with the Nigerian forward in the Super Lig clash against Alanyaspor. The club wants him fully fit for the highly anticipated meeting with Liverpool.
Osimhen has yet to hit top fitness levels since completing his permanent switch to Galatasaray this summer. He has started just two of the opening six league fixtures, a stark contrast to last season when he scored 37 goals in 41 games during a prolific loan spell from Napoli. Despite limited appearances this term, he has already netted twice in three outings, reinforcing his reputation as one of Europe’s most clinical finishers.
The striker is still expected to take part in tactical sessions on Saturday as Buruk finalizes preparations for the Liverpool showdown.
Former Besiktas midfielder Sinan Engin, who has followed Osimhen closely since his arrival in Turkey, is adamant the striker will play, even if he is not fully fit.
Engin told habersarikirmizi.com, “I think Osimhen will feature against Alanyaspor. But even if he had a broken leg, he’d still push to play against Liverpool. He’s not the type to pick and choose games. He’ll give 100 percent when Liverpool comes.”