Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is set to miss Nigeria's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Tanzania after sustaining another injury that requires knee surgery.
Galatasaray confirmed on Friday that the Nigerian forward will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Saturday, November 7, following an injury sustained during the club's UEFA Champions League encounter against VfB Stuttgart.
The Turkish champions said an MRI examination revealed a strain in Osimhen's left knee and detected a loose body within the joint, making surgery necessary.
The procedure will be performed at Maslak Acıbadem Hospital by Galatasaray's club doctor, Yener İnce. The striker has also been withdrawn from the squad for Saturday's Turkish Super Lig fixture against Amed Sportif Faaliyetler.
Osimhen's latest setback comes at a difficult time for Nigeria, who are preparing for two important AFCON 2027 qualifying matches against Tanzania.
The Super Eagles will host the Taifa Stars in Uyo on November 13 before travelling for the return fixture on November 17.
Although Galatasaray have not announced an official recovery timeline, the surgery is expected to keep the 27-year-old out of both encounters, leaving head coach Eric Chelle with the task of finding an alternative to one of his most important attacking players.
This is another international assignment Osimhen is expected to miss after previously being unavailable for Nigeria's opening AFCON 2027 qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in September.
The striker had initially been included in Chelle's squad despite suffering a muscle injury during Galatasaray's league encounter against Istanbul Basaksehir. However, the Nigeria Football Federation later confirmed his withdrawal after medical examinations revealed a strain in his right thigh.
Chelle subsequently explained that Nigeria and Galatasaray had agreed that Osimhen would join the national team if he recovered sufficiently and returned to action for his club before the international break. He also dismissed suggestions of a disagreement between the player, his club and the national team.
Osimhen also missed Nigeria's March 2024 friendlies against Ghana and Mali after Napoli ruled him out because of an injury.
The repeated setbacks have generated suspicion and debate among sections of Nigerian football supporters, with some questioning the coincidence of the striker's injuries and his unavailability around important international assignments.
Some fans have questioned whether club interests could be influencing his participation in national-team fixtures, while others have wondered whether Osimhen himself is under pressure to prioritise his club career.
The concerns have also extended to other Super Eagles players who have missed international assignments for different reasons.
Ahead of Nigeria's June 2026 friendlies against Poland and Portugal, Osimhen and Ademola Lookman were among the notable absentees. Other players were unavailable because of club commitments, illness and visa-related difficulties.
While these circumstances do not establish any deliberate attempt to keep players away from the national team, they have contributed to a growing discussion about the challenges Nigeria faces in securing the availability of its best players.
There is currently no evidence that Osimhen or Galatasaray have deliberately sought to prevent the striker from representing Nigeria. The club's latest announcement confirms a medical finding and a planned procedure, rather than a dispute over international duty.
Professional clubs have legitimate responsibilities to protect their players, particularly when medical examinations reveal injuries that require treatment. At the same time, national teams depend on timely medical information and effective cooperation from clubs to plan for international competitions.
The situation raises questions about how effectively the NFF communicates with clubs, monitors the fitness of Nigerian internationals abroad and manages situations where club and national-team interests appear to collide.
For now, Osimhen's immediate priority is a successful operation and recovery. The Super Eagles, meanwhile, must prepare for the Tanzania double-header without knowing when their leading striker will return.
Whether the latest absence is simply another unfortunate injury or part of a wider club-country availability problem remains a subject of debate among Nigerian football supporters.
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