Galatasaray have confirmed that its star Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen, has sustained a moderate ankle ligament sprain, casting doubt over his availability for a crucial period in the club’s season.
The injury, revealed in a statement from the Turkish champions on Tuesday, September 9, has already initiated a treatment plan, but the timeline for the 25-year-old’s return remains unclear.
Following medical examinations at a partner hospital, the club’s Football A Team Doctor, Yener İnce, was quoted in the official statement, saying that “a moderate sprain (stretching and bleeding) was detected in his ankle ligaments and the necessary treatment has been initiated for our football player to return to the field as soon as possible.”
The news comes as a significant setback for Galatasaray, which is facing a demanding fixture list in September, with matches in both the domestic league and the UEFA Champions League.
The Istanbul-based team, fresh from their 3-1 victory against Rizespor on 30 August, is preparing for a challenging run of fixtures.
They will face Eyüpspor in the Süper Lig on 13 September, before taking on Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Champions League on 18 September.
Their domestic campaign continues against Konyaspor on 22 September and Alanyaspor on 28 September.
Also Read: Osimhen Flown Back to Turkey After Injury
To round off a busy month, they will clash with Liverpool in the Champions League on 30 September.
Osimhen’s absence leaves head coach Okan Buruk with a major selection dilemma, especially ahead of the high-profile Champions League clashes against Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool.
While treatment has begun, the club has not provided a definitive return date for the forward. Recovery from a moderate ankle ligament sprain typically ranges from two to six weeks.
The injury could see Osimhen miss several key matches for both Galatasaray and the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles.
The situation will be closely monitored by all parties, with hopes that the prolific striker will recover in time for Nigeria’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers and Galatasaray’s European campaign.
