Exclusive: Ben Jacobs to Foot Africa: "Osimhen is happy in Istanbul, and Alisson's absence is a big loss for Liverpool"

Interviews 09 March 2026 at 19:39

Hazem Mlhem

News Editor

10.03.26 FT Champions League

Galatasaray

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Liverpool

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Liverpool are preparing to face Galatasaray today, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16. The match will be held in Istanbul at Rams Park Stadium and will undoubtedly be a tough one for both sides, especially with the absence of several key players, including Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper, Alisson Becker.

• read more: Champions League: Victor Osimhen faces possible suspension

To discuss this match, the website Foot Africa hosted renowned English sports journalist Ben Jacobs to talk about the details of the game, the future of some stars like Victor Osimhen, who is enjoying his best form in Istanbul with the Turkish giants, and how Liverpool will cope with Alisson Becker's absence.

1 – Liverpool will miss Alisson's services against the Turkish giants. Do you think this will make any difference for the English visitors?

Alisson is obviously going to be a big miss for Liverpool. It's a fitness issue, but Giorgi Mamardashvili has been training very well, and Liverpool believe he's got a big future. This is not a number two goalkeeper. It's a young, talented goalkeeper that when Liverpool signed him, they felt that he could become the number one and the eventual replacement for Alisson. So Liverpool will be quite calm about the situation because they trust Mamardashvili, who is also very vocal and an excellent shot-stopper. So Alisson's experience and leadership will be missed, but Mamardashvili is viewed as a very reliable replacement and somebody in the long term that Liverpool think has a very big future at the football club.

Ben Jacobs answered.

2 – Osimhen was flirting with Juventus. Do you think this will mark a new journey for the outstanding striker?

And regarding Victor Osimhen, my information is that he is very happy at Galatasaray still and fell in love with the club when he ultimately was first loaned there before moving permanently. At a time when his future was up in the air, you may remember that both Al-Ahli from Saudi Arabia and Chelsea were in negotiations with Osimhen. Neither of those moves happened. He made the surprise loan transfer to Galatasaray.

Ben Jacobs said.

And then with Saudi Arabia pushing hard to sign Osimhen, he decided to stay in Turkey. So as it stands, there's no movement or anything advancing towards a summer 2026 exit. What is true is that Juventus are looking to sign a new striker. And from Victor Osimhen's point of view, in the longer term, he's open to other possibilities, but he's not currently agitating for a move in 2026. And what complicates any exit this year for Osimhen is Napoli. And in the original terms of the permanent move to Galatasaray, there are mechanisms preventing a return to Serie A to a rival club. So from Juventus' point of view, if they chose to enter into a conversation for Victor Osimhen, it would be far more affordable for them and less complicated to do the deal in summer 2027 or later rather than this summer, because if they are to entertain any talks with Victor Osimhen for a move at the end of this season, they would also likely have to involve Napoli in the conversation to try and waive some of the terms in Osimhen's contract that makes a return to Italy in summer 2026 very expensive.

Ben Jacobs concluded.

Related teams and leagues

Galatasaray

Liverpool

Champions League