Kelechi Iheanacho: Osimhen’s knee surgery reopens the No. 9 race

Galatasaray have confirmed arthroscopic surgery on Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen's left knee, and with Nigeria's leader of the line facing time out, compatriot Kelechi Iheanacho's goals in Turkey make a late case to Eric Chelle.

The club said Osimhen strained his left knee in the Champions League match against VfB Stuttgart, and an MRI found a loose fragment. The operation was planned for Saturday at Maslak Acıbadem Hospital under club doctor Yener İnce, and he was removed from the squad for the league match against Amed.

His absence is expected to last about three weeks, according to a TRT Spor report carried by Hürriyet, with the Champions League match against Aston Villa on 24 November the target for a return. Osimhen has 10 goals and three assists in 11 appearances for Galatasaray this season.

Iheanacho's October makes him hard to ignore

Afrik-Foot's rundown of Chelle's striker options, published on 5 November, listed Iheanacho as an outside contender behind Osimhen, Gift Orban, Tolu Arokodare, Terem Moffi and George Ilenikhena. It credited the Bursaspor forward with five goals in October, including a brace against Muğlaspor.

His run of scoring in 12 consecutive league matches ended on 31 October against Bandırmaspor, but the October goals are still on his record.

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Nigeria have three points from two Group L games, behind Guinea-Bissau on six, and the tie-break rules mean every goal against Tanzania may count. With Osimhen's recovery put at three weeks, the timeline points past both qualifiers, so the No. 9 shirt is open.

Orban, Arokodare and Moffi were already rated strong candidates, and Iheanacho's experience in a Nigeria shirt is the quality that sets him apart from the younger names. If Chelle wants a striker who has led the line before, the numbers from Turkey give him a reason to pick Iheanacho.

The official squad is still to come, and Tanzania's early arrival in Uyo means the pressure on Chelle's attack will build quickly.