Victor Osimhen has refused to rule out leaving Galatasaray amid growing interest from Arsenal.

The Nigeria striker scored both goals for Galatasaray in their 2-2 draw against newly promoted Corum FK in their opening Super Lig match on Friday.

Despite scoring twice, Osimhen was disappointed that his team failed to win. After the final whistle, he went over to the supporters behind the goal and apologised for the result.

Osimhen responds to transfer rumours

Osimhen was asked about reports linking him with a move to Arsenal after the match.

The 27-year-old did not confirm whether he would stay at Galatasaray but said his main focus was currently on football.

“There are always rumours during the transfer windows. I’ll focus on my job. I’m focused on my work. We’ll see and think about what comes next,” Osimhen said.

He also promised to give his best to Galatasaray if he remains at the club.

“It’s going to be a tough season. The team is aware of that. I’m ready to give everything for this club. This was an important wake-up call for the players too,” he added.

Arsenal interest

Arsenal are reportedly considering a move for Osimhen as they look to strengthen their attack.

There have also been reports that the Premier League club discussed Osimhen during talks involving Gabriel Martinelli and young midfielder Ethan Nwaneri.

Osimhen remains under contract with Galatasaray until June 2029, but his latest comments have increased speculation about his future.

For now, the striker is focused on helping Galatasaray improve after their disappointing start.

“We have to give everything on the pitch. Our fans give us incredible energy and they always support us. We need to give something back,” he said.

Osimhen also believes Galatasaray must improve quickly ahead of their Champions League campaign.

“We need to gain momentum before the Champions League. We need to fight very well from the very first match,” he added.

Australian captain Pat Cummins, leads his players from the field following their nine wicket loss to Banglade (Image via AP)

Former Australia captains and batters Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden have called for changes to Australia’s Test team after Bangladesh inflicted a historic nine-wicket defeat on Pat Cummins‘ side in Darwin.Australia were comprehensively outplayed in the opening Test, suffering their first Test defeat to Bangladesh on home soil. The result has prompted calls for the selectors to begin rebuilding the side ahead of the second Test in Mackay, Queensland, starting on August 22.Ponting, speaking to Channel 7, described the loss as a “very embarrassing defeat” and said the result should force Australia to begin regenerating the team.“Look, I’m the last one who wants to make change. As a captain or as a player, I wanted to keep the group together,” the former Australia captain said.Ponting stressed that he had previously been reluctant to advocate for major changes, but believed there had already been enough signs before the series that Australia could start introducing fresh faces.“It has to get to a bad point before I start saying you ought to leave somebody out. But there had been enough evidence for me coming here to suggest that they weren’t going to lose anything or much at all by starting that regeneration, by maybe bringing in another opener, by maybe bringing in someone at No. 3,” he said.“And I think if they lose here, then I think that has to happen.”Matthew Hayden also backed the idea of reshaping Australia’s batting order, suggesting Sam Konstas and Matt Renshaw should be brought back into the side.Hayden believes Travis Head should move down the order rather than continue opening, while he questioned Alex Carey’s position at No. 5.“(Opening is) not (Head’s) best position. I think his best position is still at No. 5. I don’t like Alex Carey coming out at No. 5,” Hayden said.The former Australia opener said the current combination appeared uncertain despite the depth available in Australian cricket.“It just feels a little shaky and uncertain,” he added. “And why are we in this position? Australian cricket is so strong. It doesn’t need to be in that position, in my opinion.”Hayden also acknowledged that selecting the replacements would not be straightforward, particularly when deciding between players with current match fitness and those with greater potential.“But who you pick, that’s a great question. Are you picking match-fit players or are you picking players on talent? Like a Sammy Konstas, for example?” he said.Australia’s batting struggles were exposed during the first Test after they were bowled out for 198 in their first innings. Bangladesh responded with 426, taking a 228-run lead.Cameron Green offered Australia’s strongest resistance in the second innings with 104, his third Test century and first in Australia. However, Mehidy Hasan Miraz claimed five wickets as Australia were dismissed for 284.Bangladesh then chased a target of 57 in only 14.2 overs, losing one wicket to complete a landmark victory.The result has increased pressure on Australia’s selectors, with Ponting and Hayden now joining the growing calls for changes before the second Test.

There are plenty of ways for professional golfers to define a “successful” season. Is it strokes gained? Top 20s? Wins? Swing feels? Something else?

But among top PGA Tour pros, there’s a common refrain: If I’ve made it to East Lake for the Tour Championship, I’ve done something right.

Only 30 pros qualify for the Tour Championship, after all. Those who do are handsomely rewarded with FedEx Cup prize money, a multi-year Tour exemption, a Masters invitation and plenty more. It’s rarefied air, but well earned. Qualifying for East Lake is a testament to season-long excellence.

Which makes Sungjae Im’s streak all the more remarkable.

Im has qualified for seven consecutive Tour Championships, which is incredible on its own. It’s even more incredible when you consider that Im has played just seven PGA Tour seasons, period. Your mental math is correct, here: He’s never missed.

But Im entered this week at just No. 53 in the FedEx Cup standings, which made him a longshot to even qualify for the second round of the playoffs (where the field is cut to 50), never mind the finale (30).

DataGolf set his odds of qualifying for next week’s BMW Championship at just 18 percent. Qualifying for the Tour Championship? A paltry 1.9 percent.

Good luck.

In golf, as in most sports, they say that winning takes care of ever. I’d add that nearly winning takes care of nearly everything. And so, with Im mounting a valiant charge in the form of a 66-66-67 start at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, good for T2 through three rounds, he’s one solid Sunday from qualifying for the BMW.

Should his current position hold, Im would jump from No. 53 to No. 35. That would still leave him on the outside looking in for the season-ending Tour Championship — but he’d cruise to the next round, where he’d have more than a puncher’s chance.

For his part, Im has been matter-of-fact in discussing the streak and the pressure he’s playing under.

“I know where I am in the standings, but I don’t want to think about it too much, he said earlier this week.

“I think it’s more important to focus on each shot and do my best. If I keep doing that, hopefully the result will take care of itself.”

Im tees off at 12:30 p.m. local time on Sunday in the penultimate pairing alongside Jake Knapp. Scottie Scheffler holds a two-shot advantage; he’ll play with good friend Sam Burns — who’s T2 alongside Im — in the final pairing.

Im’s streak isn’t the longest active; Rory McIlroy is one ahead and will qualify for his ninth consecutive Tour Championship in two weeks’ time. It’s no easy feat; both Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau had made eight in a row before they missed out last season.

it’s fair to wonder if Im would already be qualified had his season followed its usual rhythm. But after he sustained a wrist injury last fall Im missed significant time, eventually returning to action in March at Bay Hill. He enters this week on a run of three top-15s in his last four starts.

Makhachev was greeted by loud cheers as he made his walkout and made a statement in the first round as he took Machado Garry down at the first attempt.

The Irishman defended on the ground admirably, but it was a sign of things to come as Makhachev controlled the rest of the round with the challenger trapped against the side of the cage.

Makhachev’s dominance continued into the second round as he knocked Machado Garry down with a head kick, before slamming the dazzled Irishman to the canvas.

Again Machado Garry survived until the end of the round and although he found some success with a number of kicks midway through the fight, Makhachev continued to assert control when the pair grappled.

Machado Garry bloodied Makhachev’s face with some punches in the clinch, but the Russian shrugged it off to reach the final bell ahead in a number of key stats.

He secured seven unanswered takedowns and clocked over 12 minutes of control time to Machado Garry’s 34 seconds.

Although the Irishman landed 29 significant strikes to Makhachev’s 22, it was not enough to convince the judges of the win.

In a show of respect, the pair embraced before Machado Garry raised Makhachev’s arm in victory.

“To all my fans, Ireland, everybody, I’m sorry I couldn’t get this done,” said Machado Garry.

“But I stand here as a man proud of what I’ve done, proud of where I came from and proud where this will take me. To all the fans who doubt me, I’ll be back.”

At 28, Machado Garry has plenty of time to realise his dream of becoming a UFC champion, while Makhachev’s victory adds weight to claims he’s closing in on being regarded as the greatest UFC fighter of all time.