Victor Boniface has completed a season-long loan move to Werder Bremen from Bayer Leverkusen, in search of rhythm and redemption after a turbulent summer.
The Nigeria striker arrives at the Weserstadion with both pedigree and questions hanging over him.
When Boniface first landed in Leverkusen from Union Saint-Gilloise, he seemed destined to bulldoze his way into the Bundesliga’s elite. His debut campaign was impressive: goals, assists, tireless pressing, even dance routines that lit up Alonso’s side as they stormed to a domestic double in 2024, unbeaten in the league.
Boniface: From Leverkusen’s invincible highs to unsettled times
Boniface had twice ruptured his cruciate ligament and has struggled with injuries in each of the last two seasons, in January 2024 and then again in November.
That latter setback forced him down the pecking order at Leverkusen, where competition only grew fiercer.
We'll miss your smiles and celebrations, Comrade! 🥹🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/kK7NcQ87lf
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) September 1, 2025
This summer, AC Milan circled with a loan deal. But when the medicals came, the Italians pulled away.
Now he has sealed a move to one of the Bundesliga’s more modest sides, hoping for a revival. Bremen offers him a platform to reassert himself, to prove that the “fragile giant” still has bite.
Boniface missed the September Super Eagles call-up, his unsettled status costing him. A strong run in Bremen green could yet restore his place in the squad ahead of October’s crucial World Cup qualifiers.
