Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen, is edging closer to a Galatasaray return after continuing his rehabilitation in Nigeria, with the club reportedly planning a carefully managed comeback against Kasımpaşa ahead of their Champions League meeting with Barcelona.

Left out of Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, Osimhen spent part of the international break in Lagos, where he continued treatment under the supervision of a physiotherapist after Galatasaray’s medical team advised against him joining the Super Eagles for the qualifiers.

The former Napoli striker was initially included in Eric Chelle’s squad but withdrew after his recovery from a muscle injury proved slower than expected, with Taiwo Awoniyi subsequently drafted in as his replacement.

According to Turkish outlet, Yenicag Gazetesi, Osimhen could be available when Galatasaray host Kasımpaşa at RAMS Park on Friday, October 9.

Manager Okan Buruk, however, is not planning to immediately restore the striker to his starting line-up, with the 27-year-old instead expected to be introduced for around 30 minutes, depending on how the match develops.

The approach would allow Galatasaray to assess his sharpness under competitive conditions while gradually building his workload, and would also give Osimhen four days to recover before Galatasaray host Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, October 13.

Osimhen’s injury dates back to Galatasaray’s 3-2 win over İstanbul Başakşehir on September 4, when he opened the scoring with a fine finish before being forced off in the 33rd minute with discomfort in his right groin. Medical tests later revealed an advanced-moderate strain with bleeding in the right adductor muscle group, a setback that ruled him out of Galatasaray’s Champions League opener against Sporting CP as well as Süper Lig matches against Kocaelispor and Trabzonspor.

The injury interrupted an impressive start to the campaign for the 2023 Africa Footballer of the Year, who had scored six goals and provided two assists in his first four Süper Lig appearances before being sidelined. In his absence, Galatasaray slipped to second on the Süper Lig table behind Gift Orban’s Amed SK, albeit on inferior goal difference.

Galatasaray will be hoping the planned Kasımpaşa cameo offers Osimhen, whose market value has taken a recent hit, a safe route back to full fitness and form before the much bigger test against Barcelona. (PUNCH)

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