Victor Boniface: 3-way decision for Super Eagles and Bayer Leverkusen star

Victor Boniface has given Bayer Leverkusen a reason to think again about his future after a strong return to pre-season training, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Super Eagles striker returned to Leverkusen in July after an injury-hit loan spell at Werder Bremen. He did not just report for training. He arrived early and quickly joined the work with the first-team squad.

Bayer’s own report on 6 July said Boniface was part of a small group that completed an intensive running session at the club’s training ground. On 18 July, he then scored twice in a 7-0 friendly win against Sportfreunde Baumberg. He scored in the 49th and 53rd minutes after coming on for the second half.

That is a sharp change from the problems that affected his 2025-26 season. A knee injury kept him out for 109 days, from December 2025 to March 2026. He played only 11 Bundesliga matches for Werder and finished the campaign with no goals and two assists.

Bayer now have three clear paths to consider regarding the Nigeria international, as per Tribuna.

Decision 1: Boniface stays and accepts a substitute role

The simplest option is for Boniface to stay at Bayer and fight for minutes. The problem is competition. Patrik Schick is an established striker at the club, while Christian Kofane has also impressed since joining the first team. That makes it difficult for Boniface to expect a starting place every week.

Bayer have also changed coaches. Carles Martínez took charge in June after Kasper Hjulmand left the club. The new coach has six pre-season friendlies to assess his squad before competitive football starts.

Boniface could therefore accept a role as a substitute and rotation striker. His physical strength would give Martínez another type of forward to use when games become difficult.

There is also a strong reason for Boniface to accept that challenge. His best season in Germany came in 2023-24. He scored 14 Bundesliga goals and supplied eight assists in 23 league matches, according to StatMuse. Across his Bayer career, he has 32 goals and 11 assists in 61 appearances.

A fit Boniface can still offer goals, power and movement. His two goals against Baumberg were an early sign of that.

The risk is playing too few minutes. After missing so much football, regular action could be more important than simply staying at a high-level club.

Decision 2: Bayer find a club willing to buy him

The second path is a permanent transfer. This would give Boniface a fresh start and remove the uncertainty around his place in the Leverkusen attack. It would also give Bayer a chance to make a decision on a player who has had repeated injury problems since joining the club.

Boniface’s medical history is important here. He suffered two serious knee injuries earlier in his career and later had a long cartilage problem at Werder. His failed move to AC Milan in August 2025 also followed concerns during the Italian club’s medical checks.

That history could make a permanent deal difficult. Bayer paid about €20m to sign Boniface from Union Saint-Gilloise in July 2023, and his contract runs until 2028.

A buying club would therefore need to accept both the financial cost and the injury risk.

There is a positive side for Boniface. His latest fitness work gives potential buyers new evidence that he can train and play at a high level.

The striker’s performances in pre-season could also help change the story around him. Instead of being seen only as a player recovering from injuries, he can be judged on what he is doing on the pitch now.

Decision 3: Boniface goes on loan and returns to Bayer

The third option is another loan. This could give Boniface the regular football he needs without ending his relationship with Bayer. The club could send him somewhere where he is more likely to start, then assess his position again after a full season.

That route would also fit the club’s previous approach. Bayer sent Boniface to Werder Bremen on a season-long loan in September 2025. The move ended in disappointment because his knee problem limited him to 11 Bundesliga appearances. Werder confirmed in January that he would undergo surgery and said he was not expected to play for the club again that season.

A new loan would be different if Boniface starts fully fit. He could play every week, rebuild his match fitness and prove that the injuries are behind him. Bayer would then have the chance to bring him back instead of losing a player they still see as part of their plans.

That option also gives Boniface a better chance to recover his old level. He scored 21 goals and made nine assists in 34 appearances during his first season at Leverkusen, helping the club win the Bundesliga title without losing a league game.

The timing is important. Bayer’s first competitive game of the new season is against Wehen Wiesbaden in the DFB-Pokal on 22 August. Their Bundesliga campaign starts one week later, away to newly promoted Elversberg on 29 August.

Boniface therefore has little time to convince Martínez that he deserves a major role.

His return has changed the situation. The question is no longer only whether Boniface can get fit again. It is whether his next step should be to fight for a place at Leverkusen, leave permanently or take another loan before returning to a club that still sees value in him.