Osimhen Receives Call-Up for Eagles

Galatasaray has officially invited Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen to join Nigeria for the opening matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. This news comes from Galatasaray insider Ali Naci Küçük.

Nigeria is gearing up for their first AFCON qualifying matches after missing the 2026 World Cup and finishing third in the 2025 AFCON.

Osimhen's invitation means he is in the running for the national team. But there is still no word on whether he will actually play, as his fitness will decide if he can join Eric Chelle’s squad.

The striker picked up a right groin injury during Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory over İstanbul Başakşehir on September 4. Osimhen scored a goal in the 16th minute but had to leave the game in the 33rd minute.

After medical tests, Galatasaray revealed that he has a moderate-to-advanced strain with bleeding in the right groin area. They also said treatment has started and that he should be back after the international break. This update initially suggested he would miss Nigeria’s matches in September.

But things have changed, with Küçük reporting that Galatasaray thinks Osimhen will travel with the team for their league match against Trabzonspor. He might even play, but there is no guarantee he will start.

This upcoming match could be a key test for Osimhen’s fitness before Nigeria's qualifiers.

Nigeria will play Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on September 25. They will then travel to Guinea-Bissau four days later. These matches are part of Group L, which also includes Tanzania, one of the co-hosts for AFCON 2027, making it even more important for the other teams in the group.

Chelle now has two big decisions to make: whether Osimhen is fit enough to join the squad and if he can handle playing competitive football so soon after his injury.