Former Fenerbahce forward Bülent Uygun has expressed concerns over Victor Osimhen’s current form, insisting that the Galatasaray striker is yet to fully regain his sharpness following his recent injury.
The Nigeria international suffered a groin strain during Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory over İstanbul Başakşehir in September, forcing him to miss three matches across all competitions against Kocaelispor, Trabzonspor and Sporting Lisbon.
Osimhen also missed Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying encounters against Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar despite initially being included in the squad.
The former Napoli striker was subsequently replaced by Coventry City forward Taiwo Awoniyi after failing to recover in time.
However, the Nigerian forward returned to action in Galatasaray’s 3-1 victory over Kasımpaşa after the international break, providing an assist to help the Turkish champions secure the win.
Despite his impressive contribution against Kasımpaşa, Osimhen struggled to reproduce the same level of performance against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, raising further questions about his match sharpness following his return from injury.
Speaking to Tivibu Spor, as reported by Habersarikirmizi, Uygun said Osimhen’s eagerness to make an immediate impact after his recovery, coupled with a lack of body coordination, had affected his performances.
The former Sivasspor manager also criticised the striker’s reactions towards teammates following mistakes, noting that Osimhen sometimes appeared frustrated even when he was partly responsible for errors on the pitch.
“Osimhen has a certain playing style built around him,” Uygun said.
“His desire to do a lot after his injury, coupled with his body’s lack of coordination, and his tendency to yell at his teammates after numerous mistakes, even his own, shows he’s still not ready.
Uygun maintained that the forward’s recent injury remains a major factor behind his current lack of form, suggesting he needs more time to regain full fitness and return to his best level.
“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.
Osimhen’s goal drought continues after he failed to score or provide an assist against Gençlerbirliği, marking the first time he has gone without a goal contribution in a league match since the start of the campaign.
The Nigerian international will, however, be eager to get back on the scoresheet and rediscover his impressive form.
—By The Sun
