Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen has been ruled out of Nigeria’s upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Tanzania due to a knee injury.
His Turkish side, Galatasaray, announced on Friday that the 27-year-old striker is scheduled to undergo an operation on his left knee on Saturday. The problem arose during their midweek UEFA Champions League clash against German Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart.
Medical scans carried out after the European fixture detected a loose body inside Osimhen's joint, which requires arthroscopic surgery, according to Complete Sports. The Turkish club confirmed that their team doctor, Yener Ince, will perform the procedure at the Maslak Acibadem Hospital.
Because of the medical issue, Osimhen was immediately withdrawn from Galatasaray's squad for their domestic league match against Amed S.F. While the full length of his recovery time has not been specified, he is set to spend an extended period on the sidelines.
The setback leaves Nigeria without their star attacker for crucial international duty. The Super Eagles are due to welcome Tanzania's Taifa Stars to the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, November 13, for their Matchday Three qualifying game.
Both teams will then meet again four days later for the reverse fixture in Dar es Salaam. The Nigerian national team technical crew will now have to look for other attacking options to lead the front line in Osimhen's absence.
