Turkish football pundit Ali Naci Küçük has revealed that Victor Osimhen is determined to take to the pitch on December 1 when Galatasaray face Fenerbahçe in the highly anticipated Intercontinental Derby.

Osimhen was forced off at half-time as Nigeria suffered a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African final of the 2026 World Cup qualifying playoffs on November 16. 

The Galatasaray centre-forward made way for Akor Adams after sustaining a hamstring injury.

Upon his return to Istanbul, detailed medical examinations, including an MRI scan, confirmed a moderate strain with some bleeding in his left posterior muscle. 

Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk remained tight-lipped regarding Osimhen's availability for Tuesday's UEFA Champions League clash against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, stating only that injured players would be assessed ahead of the final training session.

Speaking on the 343 Digital YouTube channel, Küçük revealed that Osimhen is eager to feature in the Super Lig match against Fenerbahçe, despite medical advice suggesting he should not play.

"Osimhen says, 'We're playing our most important opponent, I want to be on the pitch.'" Küçük was quoted as saying by habersarikirmizi.

"Actually, he shouldn't be playing due to medical reasons, but the player has been stubborn about being on the pitch in this match. He really wants to be on the pitch against Fenerbahçe.

Osimhen is having an impressive Champions League campaign, where he leads the scoring charts with six goals in three appearances.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel