Osimhen ‘selfish’ as former striker Dursun backs Vlahovic

Former Turkey striker Ahmet Dursun has criticised Victor Osimhen’s style of play, claiming the Galatasaray forward is too focused on himself and insisting Dusan Vlahovic is the best striker in Turkey.

Dursun made the comments during an appearance on Turkish sports channel Tivibu Spor, where he questioned how Osimhen’s approach affects both his teammates and Galatasaray’s attacking play.

“Osimhen is so selfish, a player who plays for himself,” Dursun reportedly said.

“He’s starting to harm both himself and his team. Every midfielder would want to play with Vlahovic.”

Dursun also placed Vlahovic clearly ahead of Osimhen in his assessment of the leading forwards in the league.

“In my opinion, Vlahovic is by far the league’s best striker,” he added.

The remarks have focused attention on the contrast between a striker’s individual threat and his ability to link effectively with those around him. Osimhen is recognised for his powerful running, pressing and aggressive movement, as well as his capacity to unsettle defenders.

However, Dursun argued that those qualities can sometimes come at the expense of collective attacking play. His assessment is a personal opinion and, by itself, does not establish that Osimhen’s style is harming Galatasaray.

Osimhen remains a major attacking presence for the Turkish club. The Nigeria international has developed a reputation for his work rate, physical strength and goalscoring ability, making him one of the most closely followed Nigerian players in European football.

The criticism comes as Galatasaray prepare for their UEFA Champions League meeting with Lille on Wednesday, October 21. The match gives Osimhen another chance to influence a high-profile fixture against his former club.

Dursun’s comments have added to the discussion surrounding Osimhen’s role and style, as well as his position among Turkey’s leading strikers. Whether the forward’s performance against Lille will answer those concerns remains to be seen.