Super Eagles and Bayer 04 Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface has returned to Germany after a potential move to AC Milan fell through, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 24-year-old fell down the pecking order at the Bay Arena and already had medicals in Italy over a possible switch to San Siro, but issues in his right knee caused the club to change their mind on the Nigerian forward.
Leverkusen’s Sporting Director, Simon Rolfes, also mentioned that the club will provide a physical procedure that’ll allow the versatile attacker to return to peak physical condition.
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Why Boniface would’ve been a good fit in Italy
Simy Nwankwo, who’s played four games for the Nigerian National team, has weighed in on the success of Super Eagles strikers in Italy.
“It is a generational thing, and Nigeria happens to be blessed with lots of strikers at the moment,” the 33-year-old said in quotes revealed by Complete Sports.
“Serie A is a very tactical league, one of the toughest leagues for strikers because it’s very compact, tactical awareness, and I think it’s number one in Europe, so my run was good.
“Before me, there were lots of Nigerian strikers. Obafemi Martins did his thing, Nwankwo Kanu did his thing, and after I did my good run, Victor Osimhen dominated.
“He is one of the best and most powerful strikers alive today, and Ademola Lookman has been phenomenal, though he’s not an out-and-out striker; but he’s also special, the current African Footballer of the Year,” Crotone’s record goalscorer continued.
The former Parma striker expects more Super Eagles stars to move to Italy, and expressed his disappointment about the medical condition that reversed the move.
“I think in the next couple of years, more Nigerians are going to come in because now they understand more, and it’s a good generation of top strikers and the competitiveness that is coming out, especially in the national team, where you have a lot of numbers to choose from.
“Victor Boniface would have been a perfect fit (in Serie A) because he’s technically gifted to play in small spaces, in very good shape physically, so in the next couple of years, more Nigerians will come in,” Simy concluded.
Now that the AC Milan episode is over, the Super Eagles star and his management team have to start exploring other options.
Apparently, Bayer Leverkusen coach Erik Ten Hag does not favour him. So he might have to leave Die Werkself for a club where he is assured of regular game time, only after completing his recovery.