Victor Boniface has moved to shut down fitness doubts after a turbulent summer that saw his expected transfer to AC Milan collapse, Footynaija.com reports.
The Akure-born Nigerian striker, who joined Werder Bremen on loan from Bayer Leverkusen on deadline day, has insisted that he feels in top shape and is ready to prove himself in the Bundesliga.
The 24-year-old was at the centre of one of the most dramatic transfer stories involving Super Eagles players this summer. Boniface looked set for a switch to AC Milan until medical concerns stopped the deal. West Ham and Stuttgart also weighed up potential moves, but none materialised before Werder Bremen sealed his signature for the season.
Boniface, who scored 14 league goals in his debut campaign at Leverkusen, is now determined to focus on his new challenge rather than speculation over his condition. He dismissed worries about his knee and fitness in general, stating that he feels completely fine and focused on the pitch.
“Who’s talking about my fitness?” Boniface said at a press conference on Wednesday, as confirmed by Bulinews.
“Whatever you want to believe from the media is not my concern. If they say I’m a good guy, believe it; if they say I’m a bad guy, believe that. I don’t care.”
“Whatever you want to believe on the media, you can believe them, that’s not on me… I don’t care. If my body is not 100%, I will be in the hospital. I will not be here talking to you.”
Victor Boniface when asked about his fitness during his unveiling at SV Werder Bremen. pic.twitter.com/LHVfpGjMzZ
He emphasised that he is in the right shape to play. “If that weren’t the case, I’d be in the hospital and couldn’t be here talking now,” Boniface added.
When asked about the collapsed AC Milan transfer, the Super Eagles striker kept a calm outlook.
“That wasn’t up to me. They decided not to pursue it. I have a strong mentality and see life this way: if something like this happens, then it’s meant to be. It’s not a problem for me; I just keep going,” he explained.
“The Milan deal not going through, that’s not on me. They decided not to go through with. I have a strong mentality… If the deal was meant to happen, it’s meant to happen. If it wasn’t meant to happen, I move on to the next thing…”
Boniface will wear the number 44 shirt at Werder Bremen, doubling his preferred number 22 in tribute to his late mother. As revealed in an earlier report, he also stressed that his only focus is helping Bremen win matches and rediscovering his scoring form.
