Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen is pushing to regain full fitness ahead of the pivotal Istanbul derby against Fenerbahçe this Sunday. The Nigerian striker has returned to full team training, completing an entire session with the squad, but his availability for the starting lineup remains uncertain. Turkish journalist Kaya Temel confirmed that Osimhen will undergo intensified training and medical assessments in the next two days to determine his readiness. "Osimhen will do extra work for the derby. At the end of these sessions, it will become clear whether he will start in the starting 11," Temel said. "It would be a mistake to say today, 'Osimhen will definitely start.' He wants to play in the derby himself."
Sports reporter Yağız Sabuncuoğlu added that Osimhen's recovery is being closely monitored, with the club prioritizing his fitness for the Süper Lig clash over a potential appearance in an upcoming cup match. Osimhen travelled with the team for Galatasaray's previous fixture against Gençlerbirliği but remained on the sidelines. The striker, who is Galatasaray's top goal scorer, has been sidelined recently, but his return could significantly impact the title race. Galatasaray currently lead the Süper Lig by four points over Fenerbahçe.
Osimhen's potential inclusion hinges on tests after intensified training, not guaranteed match fitness. His absence from the Gençlerbirliği game despite travelling shows caution, not certainty. If he plays, it will be as a high-risk decision by Galatasaray, not a confirmed upgrade. His status as top scorer makes the gamble understandable, but not assured.
💡 NaijaBuzz is an AI-assisted news aggregator. This content is curated from third-party sources — NaijaBuzz is not the original publisher and is not responsible for the accuracy of source reporting. The NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion only, not established fact. All persons mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. NaijaBuzz does not endorse the views expressed in source articles.
