‘His Words Were Misunderstood’ — Osimhen Backs Chelle Amid Transfer Speculation

Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen has moved to end speculation surrounding comments made by Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle following the team’s triumph at the Unity Cup.

The Super Eagles retained the Unity Cup title after a dominant 3-0 victory over Jamaica in the final at The Valley, London, on Saturday.

After the match, Chelle revealed that Osimhen would miss Nigeria’s upcoming international friendlies against Poland and Portugal, explaining that the striker intended to use the period to address issues relating to his club future at Turkish champions Galatasaray.

The coach’s remarks sparked widespread reactions and speculation about Osimhen’s relationship with both club and country.

However, the former SSC Napoli forward has clarified the situation, insisting that Chelle’s comments were misunderstood.

Speaking via Instagram after a phone conversation with the coach, Osimhen said: “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.”

The prolific striker also reaffirmed his commitment to the national team and expressed his admiration for the Super Eagles manager.

“I appreciate the conversation, the opportunity to represent my country, and I look forward to continuing to work with him.

“He is a great coach whom I respect a lot, and I kindly ask everyone to disregard the speculations surrounding this matter. Thank you for your consistent support.”

Osimhen enjoyed an outstanding 2025/26 campaign with Galatasaray, playing a key role in the club’s successful defence of the Turkish Super Lig title after making his move permanent last summer.

Despite his success in Turkey, uncertainty remains over his long-term future, with reports linking the Nigerian international to top European clubs, including Chelsea FC, Arsenal FC, Real Madrid CF and Paris Saint-Germain ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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