Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface might become one of the priciest Nigerian transfers if Bayer Leverkusen decides to sell him this summer.
Boniface moved to Bayer Leverkusen in July from the Belgian team Union Saint-Gilloise for a fee slightly above 20 million euros.
The forward, originating from the Real Sapphire academy, quickly adapted to his new surroundings in Germany, impressively scoring in both domestic and international competitions.
In just 16 Bundesliga matches, Boniface scored ten goals and provided seven assists, and in the Europa League, he contributed four goals and one assist across five games. Moreover, the 23-year-old added two goals in his two DFB-Pokal appearances.
Given his total involvement in 24 goals across 23 matches in all competitions, it’s unsurprising that Boniface has caught the attention of some of the English Premier League’s richest clubs.
A Premier League club, which remains unnamed, has reportedly reached out to Bayer Leverkusen about acquiring Boniface in anticipation of a bustling summer, according to Soccernet.ng.
Nevertheless, Bayer Leverkusen’s initial response is a desire to retain Boniface for at least another season, dismissing the idea of a sale for now.
Should the interest persist and Leverkusen consider entering negotiations, they’re expected to entertain offers no less than 55 million euros, as stated by transfer specialist Plettigoal.
Such a fee would rank as the second-largest amount ever paid for a Nigerian player, following the €75 million Napoli spent to bring Victor Osimhen from Lille in September 2020.
Boniface was sidelined from Nigeria’s participation in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, where the Super Eagles clinched a silver medal, due to an adductor surgery.
Having recovered and resumed training, the former forward is poised to assist Bayer Leverkusen in their pursuit of the Bundesliga championship.
