By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian striker Victor Boniface was absent from Bayer Leverkusen’s training session on Tuesday, further fueling speculation regarding his potential move to Saudi Arabian side, Al Nassr.
Al Nassr has reportedly identified Boniface as their top candidate to replace Brazilian striker Anderson Talisca, who recently joined Turkish side Fenerbahce. The Saudi Pro League club is in ongoing discussions with Bayer Leverkusen, and sources suggest that a deal could be nearing completion.
Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano provided an update on the situation, revealing that a delegation from Al Nassr has been in Germany since Monday to negotiate with both Boniface and Leverkusen.
“Victor Boniface, OUT of Bayer Leverkusen training session,” Romano posted on his X account on Tuesday.
“Al Nassr delegation has been in Germany since yesterday to negotiate with both the player and Bayer Leverkusen, as revealed. Deal underway with details still to be discussed for the striker’s move to Saudi Pro League.”
Boniface, who only recently signed a one-year contract extension with Bayer Leverkusen that keeps him at the club until 2026, has become one of the top earners at the Bundesliga side. However, Leverkusen is reportedly demanding a hefty €50 million for the striker, who has been labeled “unsellable” by the club.
With both clubs continuing talks, all eyes will be on whether a deal can be struck in the coming days.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
