Turkey: ‘Why Osimhen is struggling’ – Ex-Fenerbahce star, Uygun

A former Fenerbahce forward, Bülent Uygun, has raised concerns regarding the form of Super Eagles attacker, Victor Osimhen, amid the player’s goal draught.

According Uygun, the attacker has not yet completely recovered his competitive edge following his recent injury.

The Nigeria international sustained a groin strain during Galatasaray’s 3-2 triumph against İstanbul Başakşehir in September, which resulted in his absence from three consecutive matches across all competitions .

Osimhen was also unavailable for Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, qualifying matches against Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar, despite having been initially selected for the squad.

He made his return to competitive action in Galatasaray’s 3-1 victory over Kasımpaşa after the international break, delivering an assist that contributed to the Turkish champions’ success.

Osimhen was however toothless against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, thereby intensifying concerns about his physical readiness after his injury layoff.

Speaking to Tivibu Spor, as reported by Habersarikirmizi, Uygun attributed Osimhen’s diminished performance to his determination to produce immediate results following his recuperation, combined with insufficient physical coordination.

“Osimhen operates within a specific tactical framework designed around his capabilities,” Uygun stated.

“His determination to accomplish much following his injury, in togetherwith his body’s insufficient coordination, and his inclination to express frustration toward his teammates over errors, including those of his own making, demonstrates he remains unprepared.

Uygun reiterated that the forward’s recent injury constitutes a significant contributor to his current performance decline, proposing that he requires additional time to achieve complete recovery.

“Even in the chances he got, he struggled to maintain his footwork in 4-5 steps. He’s just returned from a serious injury, which is causing him to remain out of form,” he concluded.