Victor Osimhen, who fired his team to victory with a goal against Liverpool, is at the center of speculation over whether he will be fit to feature for Nigeria in their crucial World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin Republic.
Ahead of the Istanbul derby against Beşiktaş, doubts over the striker’s fitness grew after he missed training on Thursday. The 26-year-old forward had also been absent in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with South Africa, with his recovery taking longer than initially expected.
Nigeria’s head coach Eric Chelle has yet to announce his squad and is anxiously awaiting positive updates. With just about a week to go before the World Cup qualifiers, the stakes have been raised even higher following South Africa’s points deduction.
Given Benin’s potential to top the group, a decisive victory in that clash could be the key to Nigeria securing automatic qualification for the World Cup.
Osimhen is also eager to feature in the Beşiktaş derby, but Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk is reportedly adopting a cautious approach. As a result, the striker may not be risked for the high-profile clash.