Victor Osimhen took to Instagram on Sunday to cool the fires ignited by Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, insisting that comments linking his national team absence to a potential summer transfer had been twisted by the media.
A brief interview from Eric Chelle sent Nigerian football into a tailspin over the weekend. The Super Eagles coach, speaking after the squad’s Unity Cup triumph in London, let slip that Victor Osimhen had been left out of the friendlies against Poland and Portugal because the striker may be on the verge of changing clubs. Before Chelle’s words had barely landed, transfer speculation was running at full throttle across social media. Osimhen was not having any of it.
The Galatasaray striker went on Instagram to address the matter directly, calling Chelle to discuss it and then making clear to his followers that the coach’s words had been taken completely out of context. He defended Chelle, praised their relationship, and asked everyone to move on from what had become an unnecessarily inflated story.
Super Eagles fans tracking developments ahead of the World Cup qualifiers can also stay updated via FootballInNigeria.com.ng for the latest on Nigeria’s squad news and fixtures.
What Chelle Actually Said
The coach had been explaining the squad’s personnel issues when he brought up Osimhen’s name. He cited visa problems for Samson Tijani and Abdullahi Yusuf, the tiredness of Ademola Lookman, whose club Atletico Madrid had requested he be excused, and then Osimhen’s situation, which he framed as a club transition matter.
“For now we have two games, Poland and Portugal and I have lots of problems because some players have visa issues, players like Tijani and Yusuf. But most importantly we miss two players because Victor Osimhen maybe he is about to change club so I prefer he stays at home because if he plays and is not at 100 percent is not good.”
Read on FootballInNigeria.com.ng for full coverage of the Super Eagles’ upcoming Poland and Portugal fixtures, squad updates, and tactical previews.
Osimhen Speaks Out
The striker’s Instagram statement was measured but firm. He made clear that he had spoken to Chelle personally after the storm broke, and that the coach had not intended to create controversy or disrespect Galatasaray in any way.
“I just got off the phone with coach Eric Chelle regarding the comments about me in his recent interview. Unfortunately, his words have been taken out of context and blown out of proportion. He has great respect for Galatasaray, follows most of our games, and never intended to create any controversy.”
Osimhen went further, praising Chelle and expressing his desire to continue representing Nigeria under him. He closed by asking the public to disregard the speculation that had spiralled from the initial remarks.
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The Transfer Backdrop
The sensitivity around Chelle’s words makes complete sense given what is swirling around Osimhen in the wider football market. The 27 year old is one of the most coveted strikers in Europe heading into this summer window. Galatasaray have set a valuation widely reported to be between 120 and 150 million euros, and the interested parties include some of the biggest clubs on the continent.
Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Arsenal, Barcelona, and PSG have all been linked with the Super Eagles captain to varying degrees. Chelsea’s new project under incoming manager Xabi Alonso has been cited as a potential destination, while Bayern’s need for a long term successor to Harry Kane has put them firmly in the frame. A special contractual clause inserted by Napoli reportedly prevents Galatasaray from selling Osimhen to a Serie A club before 2027 without incurring a 70 million euro penalty, which effectively steers any deal toward the Premier League or the broader European market.
Despite all the noise, Osimhen had repeatedly stated his desire to stay in Istanbul for at least another season. His bond with the Galatasaray fans is genuine, and the club’s hierarchy has been equally reluctant to part with a player who has become their most important asset. New Bet9ja users who want to back the Eagles in upcoming World Cup qualifiers can use the Bet9ja promo code today to get started.
Bigger Picture for the Super Eagles
Whatever happens at club level, Osimhen’s importance to the Super Eagles is not in question. Nigeria’s World Cup qualification hopes depend significantly on the form and availability of their captain, and Chelle will want him fit and focused when the competitive matches resume.
The Unity Cup win in London provided some momentum for the squad, and the Poland and Portugal friendlies in this window are a chance to continue building under Chelle’s system. Osimhen’s absence, in that context, is a short-term inconvenience rather than a deeper rupture, as the striker himself has now made clear.
📌 Did You Know?
- Galatasaray signed Osimhen on a permanent deal from Napoli for 75 million euros in the summer of 2025, following a successful loan spell with the Istanbul club the previous season.
- A contractual clause in Osimhen’s Galatasaray deal reportedly requires the club to pay Napoli around 70 million euros if they sell him to a Serie A club before 2027, effectively ruling out Italian clubs as destinations this summer.
- Osimhen has scored 19 goals in 30 games for Galatasaray since completing his permanent transfer, maintaining the form that made him the most expensive Nigerian footballer of all time.
- Galatasaray’s vice president publicly stated that the club’s valuation of Osimhen has at minimum doubled since signing him, placing any asking price at no less than 150 million euros.
- Eric Chelle was appointed Super Eagles head coach in early 2025 and became the first Malian to manage the Nigerian national team at senior level.
- Ademola Lookman was also absent from the Poland and Portugal friendlies after Atletico Madrid requested he be excused, citing fatigue at the end of a long club season.
- Osimhen previously confirmed that Juventus had held talks with him before he chose Galatasaray, making him one of the few players to have publicly acknowledged rejecting the Italian giants.
