Napoli striker Victor Osimhen appears to have suffered a fresh setback as he missed Napoli training on Wednesday, according to a report in Italy.
The 24-year-old came off injured around the hour mark in Nigeria's 2-2 friendly draw with Saudi Arabia. The Nigerian striker has not featured for Napoli since mid-October.
Following that incident, Napoli did not specify a timeframe for Osimhen's return but Sky Sports Italia said such an injury typically requires a recovery period of four to six weeks.
With the above in mind, the Super Eagles forward has technically been missing for just a month and could even be away for more due to the latest update.
SSCN – Lesione di basso grado del muscolo tibiale per Meret, lesione di medio grado del muscolo adduttore della coscia sinistra per Mario Rui, sindrome influenzale per Victor Osimhen che non si è allenato https://t.co/4fAD06aBHM
— Antonio Petrazzuolo (@apetrazzuolo) November 16, 2023
Osimhen fails to return to train
Osimhen did not return to Napoli training but it has been reported that it is flu-related and that should not rule him out for long.
“Mario Rui and Alex Meret took the exams at the Pineta Grande clinic: Mario Rui suffered a medium-grade injury to the adductor muscle of his left thigh,” reads a statement on Napoli Magazine.
“For the Italian goalkeeper, a low-grade lesion of the tibialis posterior muscle of the left leg. Both have already started treatment. Absent today from the Osimhen training session due to a flu syndrome.”
Osimhen unavailable for Super Eagles as 2026 World Cup Qualifiers begin
As the journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins for the Super Eagles today, Osimhen will play no part in that as he is still nursing the injury he picked up in his last appearance for the team in October.
Osimhen limped off in the international friendly game against Saudi Arabia and he has not played any game since then.
Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro will be relying on the strength of Victor Boniface and Taiwo Awoniyi to help his side start on a winning note.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face Lesotho in their group opener before travelling to face Zimbabwe in Rwanda just three days later.
Transfer Scoop: Obi Mikel wants Victor Osimhen at Chelsea
In a recent development, Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel urged Osimhen to join the Blues next summer.
“We’re crying out for him,’ Mikel said on The Obi One Podcast.
“You look at our Chelsea team, we’re not playing that great at the minute but then we lack goals, we lack a striker who can run into spaces, who can create.
“I was watching Darwin Nunez for Liverpool, he had about 11 shots, and all the runs he made, he created those chances by himself because he was running in behind.
“That’s something Victor will give us at Chelsea, a striker who is really willing to run behind, obviously, those passes will come through and he will get goals.
“I think we’re crying out for goals if he comes to Chelsea I think it will suit him really well because we don’t have anyone doing that right now so there’s not going to be too much pressure on him coming into the club because obviously, we need that, we’re crying out for that.
“You know, my advice is for him to come to Chelsea.”
Osimhen has received strong interest from both Chelsea and Manchester United in the summer but the Nigeria international decided to remain at Napoli after he helped them win the Serie A last season.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
