By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria internationals Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella have been left in limbo after Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen parted ways with manager Erik ten Hag on Monday morning.
The Dutchman, who only arrived in May 2025 following Xabi Alonso’s departure, was dismissed after a rocky start to the new campaign.
His brief tenure saw a 2-1 home defeat to Hoffenheim, a 3-3 draw with ten-man Werder Bremen after surrendering a two-goal lead, and a humiliating 5-1 pre-season loss to Flamengo’s U-20 side.
A club statement confirmed the decision was taken by Leverkusen’s shareholders’ committee on management’s recommendation. In the interim, the backroom staff will oversee training while the hunt for a permanent successor begins.
For the Nigerian duo, the upheaval comes at a pivotal moment. Boniface has struggled to replicate last season’s form under Ten Hag, while Tella has emerged as one of Leverkusen’s brighter performers despite the team’s stuttering start. Both will now be eager to stake their claim under the incoming boss.
The uncertainty adds to a difficult spell for the pair, who were both left out of Nigeria’s squad for the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa.
With their club future unsettled and international prospects on hold, Boniface and Tella now face a crucial period as they await new leadership at Leverkusen.
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.
