Nigerian football icon Sunday Oliseh has advised Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen to turn to prayer as he navigates the next phase of his career.

Oliseh shared his thoughts after the 26-year-old sealed a permanent move to the Turkish giants, following an unsuccessful summer push for a Premier League switch. Despite interest from Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United, none of the clubs made a move before the window closed.

The former Super Eagles captain is confident that if Nigeria books a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the big clubs will come calling for Osimhen next year. In a video making the rounds, Oliseh urged, “Victor has to pray… he needs Nigeria to be at the next World Cup.”

Barcelona’s Pedri has opened up about the moment he discovered Lionel Messi was leaving the club, admitting the news caught him completely off guard. Messi, who rose through Barcelona’s ranks before becoming one of the greatest players in football history, departed in 2021 after the club failed to renew his contract.

Pedri, who joined from Las Palmas in 2019, shared the pitch with Messi for two seasons, racking up 47 games together. Speaking to France Football, the Spanish midfielder recalled how he would instinctively look for Messi during matches, always eager to pass him the ball because, in his words, “he was better than me.”

He said he was playing in the Olympics when he heard about Messi’s exit, finding it almost impossible to believe. Messi went on to join Paris Saint-Germain, where he lifted two Ligue 1 titles before making another headline move in 2023 to Inter Miami.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has confirmed that Alexander Isak will not be part of his squad for now as uncertainty over the striker’s future continues.

The Swedish forward has made it clear he wants to leave for Liverpool this summer, with the Reds still pushing to sign him before the transfer window closes. Isak has already informed Newcastle’s hierarchy of his decision and is unwilling to play or remain at the club.

Liverpool are reportedly preparing a fresh offer, but only if Newcastle are open to negotiations. Speaking to the press, Howe admitted they would like to have Isak back in the team but stressed that the circumstances must be right before that happens.