Fatih Karagümrük president Süleyman Hurma has admitted he would prefer Galatasaray’s record signing, Victor Osimhen, to delay his comeback until after Friday’s Super League meeting at Rams Park.
Speaking to Ekol Sports, Hurma said that while he would enjoy watching the Nigerian striker as a football fan, his role as club president made him hope Osimhen’s first minutes came against a different opponent.
“As a football fan, I would be happy to see Osimhen play against Karagümrük. But as Karagümrük’s president, I would rather he played in the match after ours,” he said.
Osimhen, who returned to Galatasaray this summer on a four-year deal after a loan spell last season, has been in individual training. Although not fully match-fit, he is expected to be in Okan Buruk’s squad and could feature in the second half, with a first start likely away to Kayserispor.
Hurma added that if his club had the resources, signing a player of Osimhen’s calibre would be obvious, stressing that football revenue should be reinvested entirely into squad building.
“We are not here to distribute dividends; every penny earned in football should be spent on football. Even the biggest clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona operate at a loss to stay competitive,” he said.
Karagümrük, returning to the top flight after a year’s absence, saw their opening fixture postponed due to Başakşehir’s European commitments, making Friday’s game their first competitive outing of the season.
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Forest Demand Neville Assurances in Awoniyi Injury Row
Nottingham Forest are seeking assurances from Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville before allowing him back into the City Ground, following a row over his comments after Taiwo Awoniyi’s season-ending injury in May.
Forest barred Neville from broadcasting at their 2024/25 finale against Chelsea after he criticised owner Evangelos Marinakis for confronting manager Nuno Espírito Santo on the pitch, calling it “scandalous” and suggesting Nuno should “negotiate his exit” that night.
The club lodged a formal complaint with Sky Sports, accusing Neville of spreading “fake news” and engaging in “ill-informed outrage” that served “no one, least of all the injured player.” Neville later mocked the statement on his podcast, sarcastically saying: “Sorry Mr Marinakis.”
While no formal ban is in place, reports in The Guardian claim Forest will not host Neville in a broadcasting capacity unless he pledges to show greater restraint when commenting on Marinakis. The fallout adds to earlier clashes, including Neville’s past comparison of the club’s conduct to “a mafia gang” — remarks that prompted legal threats and a formal apology from Sky.
