New Bayer Leverkusen head coach Erik Ten Hag has made a clear decision on the future of Nigerian striker Victor Boniface—and it’s one that fans will love.
Boniface, who joined the Bundesliga champions from Royale Union SG in 2023, has quickly become one of Leverkusen’s standout performers. Despite battling injuries last season, the 23-year-old managed 11 goals and two assists in 27 games. In his debut season, he lit up German football with 21 goals and 10 assists in just 37 matches across all competitions.
Under former coach Xabi Alonso, Boniface often found himself on the bench, with Patrik Schick preferred in the central role. That led to growing rumors of a potential summer exit, especially with interest coming from clubs in Saudi Arabia. However, Bundesliga Insider now reports that Ten Hag has other plans.
Instead of offloading Boniface, Ten Hag wants to build a new-look attack around him—and even test a two-striker formation alongside Schick in pre-season. The strategy is designed to make the most of Boniface’s ability to drop deep and link up play, while Schick operates as the traditional poacher inside the box.
If successful, this duo could become a nightmare for Bundesliga defenses.
While a big-money move to Al Nassr in January—which would have seen Boniface’s salary leap from €2 million to €15 million—ultimately fell through, the forward appears fully committed to staying. Speaking on his future, Boniface said:
“Transfer rumors are a common occurrence in football. It’s always flattering when major clubs express interest, but my current focus is entirely on Bayer Leverkusen.”
Boniface still has three years left on his contract, and with Ten Hag’s confidence and tactical vision, the Nigerian star looks set to play a pivotal role in Leverkusen’s title defense and European ambitions.
He’s already showing his commitment, recently spotted training hard at the elite Marbella Football Centre—home to some of the world’s top athletes—as he prepares for the upcoming season.
With Ten Hag now at the helm, and Boniface fit and fired up, Leverkusen fans could be in for another thrilling campaign.
