AC Milan’s agreement to sign Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku has put fresh scrutiny on their decision to walk away from a deal for Victor Boniface.
The Super Eagles striker spent 48 hours in Milan earlier this summer only to return to Germany after medical checks flagged concerns over his right knee, twice damaged by cruciate ligament tears. The move, structured as a loan, collapsed and left him back at Bayer Leverkusen, where his contract runs until 2028.
The rejection cut deeper than most for Boniface because he has lived with doubts not about his talent but about his off field showings. In Nigeria, many critics have dismissed him as unserious due to his social media antics, and have argued that his fitness record would deter elite clubs from committing. Milan’s withdrawal seemed to confirm that suspicion, casting a shadow over his rise.
#OddStat: Since Victor Boniface's second ACL injury in 2020, total number of days out due to injury.
Boniface: 165
Nkunku: 420Medical. https://t.co/afhHg6OG3E
— Solace Chukwu (@TheOddSolace) August 28, 2025
Boniface vs Nkunku: A study in contradiction
That perception now looks less convincing. While Milan baulked at Boniface’s medical profile, they have pressed ahead with Nkunku, whose recent injury record is considerably worse. Since his second ACL setback in 2020, Boniface has missed 165 days through injury. Nkunku, by contrast, has been sidelined for more than 420 days in the same span.
Yet Milan have agreed a €42m deal with Chelsea for the Frenchman, who even accepted a pay cut to make the move happen.
The contradiction is glaring. The 24-year-old has fought back from two ACL ruptures to re-establish himself, playing a central role in Leverkusen’s invincible 2024 Bundesliga campaign and domestic double. Nkunku, for all his quality, has endured a string of interruptions that have stalled his momentum since leaving Leipzig.
That willingness highlights the truth: Milan did not walk away from Boniface because of medicals. They walked away because they rated Nkunku higher and he was prepared to make the finances work.
A France international with Champions League pedigree brings a profile Boniface, despite his Bundesliga heroics, does not yet carry. In that context, “medical concerns” seem more like a smokescreen than the decisive factor.
