Speaking after a friendly fixture, Chelle addressed the omissions of both Osimhen and Atletico Madrid forward Ademola Lookman. On Osimhen, he was candid.
"Victor Osimhen had a situation of changing clubs, so I preferred that he stayed at home, in his club. Because if you play and you are not 100 percent ready, it is not a good thing."
The comments caused immediate controversy in Turkey, where Galatasaray have consistently insisted the 27-year-old is not for sale. The club signed Osimhen on a permanent basis from Napoli in the summer of 2025 for €75 million, tying him to a contract until 2029.
Nigeria did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup, having lost a playoff to DR Congo on penalties, so Chelle's squad was assembled for preparatory friendlies rather than tournament preparation. Lookman's absence, he explained separately, was at the request of Atlético Madrid, who cited fatigue following a long club season.
Osimhen scored 17 goals in 26 appearances for Galatasaray across the 2025-26 season. His profile — a powerful, direct centre-forward with pace and technical ability — has attracted consistent interest from the Premier League throughout the year, with Chelsea and Manchester United both linked.
A clause in his contract prevents a return to Serie A, which rules out Juventus despite their reported interest.
Whether Chelle's comments reflect a formal statement of intent from Osimhen's camp or a looser interpretation of conversations with the player remains unclear. Galatasaray's response is expected to be emphatic.