‘Forget about Arsenal’ — Fans slam Osimhen after Instagram outburst against Finidi

Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen has set tongues wagging after a controversial and damning Instagram live video, where he slammed Super Eagles manager Finidi George for allegedly making him the scapegoat of Nigeria’s recent struggles in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying.

Under Finidi’s tutelage, the Super Eagles faltered in their quest for a World Cup qualifier after a draw against South Africa in Uyo and a loss away to the Benin Republic left their hopes of making it to the 2026 World Cup hanging by a thread, despite having six games left in the series.

Among Finidi’s failings was the inability of the Super Eagles to put up an effective attack as they scored only two goals in the two games in the latest round of qualifiers, with both strikes coming from midfielders, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika as Nigeria sorely missed the services of Napoli striker Osimhen, who was absent from both games through injury.

Following the disappointing World Cup qualifying games, a quote was attributed to Super Eagles manager Finidi, alleging that Osimhen intentionally missed the games against South Africa and the Benin Republic, and the Napoli frontman was quick to defend himself against the rumours.

Osimhen made a live video on Instagram, criticising Finidi and anybody else who believed that he would intentionally refuse a call up to the national team, claiming that he had lost respect for the Super Eagles head coach in the process.

Fans have in turn criticised Osimhen for his reaction to the rumour about his coach, stating that he might have compromised any chances he had of making a move to Premier League giants Arsenal in the coming transfer window.

Osimhen has been touted as a target for the Gunners, but after his recent outburst fans have questioned if he would be able to get along with Gunners’manager Mikel Arteta, known for his strict disciplinarian methods that have seen him fall out with stars like Mesut Ozil and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang.

With the Gunners still contemplating a deal for Osimhen worth up to €130 million this summer, it remains to be seen if the Nigerian striker’s recent outburst will have any bearing on Arsenal’s final decision.