- Former Fenerbahce forward Bülent Uygun raised concerns about Victor Osimhen's form after the Galatasaray striker returned from a groin injury
- Osimhen missed three club matches and two AFCON qualifying games for Nigeria before returning to action against Kasımpaşa
- Uygun pointed to poor body coordination and frustration with teammates as signs that Osimhen has not yet regained full match sharpness
Bülent Uygun, the former Fenerbahce and Sivasspor manager, has warned that Victor Osimhen is still not at his best following his return from injury, citing issues with the Galatasaray striker's physical coordination and temperament on the pitch.
Osimhen picked up a groin strain during Galatasaray's 3-2 win over İstanbul Başakşehir in September, which ruled him out of three matches against Kocaelispor, Trabzonspor and Sporting Lisbon.
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The injury also kept him out of Nigeria's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar, with Coventry City forward Taiwo Awoniyi stepping in as his replacement in the Super Eagles squad.
The 2023 African Player of the Year returned to action in Galatasaray's 3-1 victory over Kasımpaşa after the international break, providing an assist in that game.
However, he could not carry that level of contribution into Galatasaray's UEFA Champions League encounter against Barcelona, where he struggled to impose himself.
Uygun raises red flags over Osimhen's condition
Speaking to Tivibu Spor, as reported by Habersarikirmizi, Uygun said Osimhen's drive to hit the ground running after his layoff, combined with a lack of physical coordination, was visibly affecting his output.
"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."
The former manager also drew attention to technical lapses in Osimhen's movement, suggesting the Nigerian has not yet recovered his full rhythm.
"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," Uygun added.
Goal drought adds to Osimhen's struggles
Osimhen's recent difficulties became more apparent when he failed to score or contribute an assist against Gençlerbirliği, making it the first time this season that he has gone an entire league match without a goal contribution.
As seen on Transfermarkt, Osimhen has failed to score in his three games since returning from injury, with his goal tally remaining at six just before he got injured.
The run of below-par displays has prompted broader questions about how close the Nigerian forward is to recapturing the form that made him one of Europe's most dangerous strikers at Napoli.
Uygun maintained that the injury remains the root cause, suggesting Osimhen needs more time before he is truly back to his peak.
The 27-year-old will be hoping to put these concerns to rest as Galatasaray's domestic and European commitments continue.
Ex-Galatasaray star questions Osimhen's attitude
Legit.ng previously reported former Galatasaray forward Necati Ateş’s criticism of Osimhen after the striker failed to score against Gençlerbirliği.
Osimhen played the full 90 minutes but has now gone three matches without a goal since returning from injury. Ateş said the Nigerian’s body language changes when he does not score and questioned his decision to shoot rather than pass to better-placed teammates.
Source: Legit.ng