Victor Boniface: Why Werder Bremen do not regret signing Super Eagles striker

Victor Boniface’s difficult spell at Werder Bremen has not convinced the German club that signing the Super Eagles striker was a mistake, Afrik-Foot reports.

Boniface joined Werder Bremen with the club searching for a striker while operating within significant financial limitations. His availability on short notice presented an opportunity the Bundesliga side felt was worth exploring.

The Nigerian’s history with knee problems was also known to Werder before the transfer. However, the club could not have predicted that he would suffer another setback that eventually required surgery.

While Boniface’s injury problems limited his contribution as he failed to score a goal in 11 games, Werder’s decision was based on the information available to them at the time rather than what happened afterwards.

Werder saw Boniface as an opportunity they could afford to take

Quizzed how often he had regretted signing Boniface, Werder Bremen’s DOF Clemens Fritz was unequivocal.

“Not so much. We still wanted a striker at the time and had hardly any opportunities economical,” the 45-year-old said in an interview with Stern Germany.

“Victor was on the market in the short term. We’ve seen the chance rather. The economic risk was manageable.”

Werder’s financial limitations meant the recruitment department had to search for opportunities where the potential reward justified the risk.

Boniface fit that profile. The Nigerian had already demonstrated his quality before arriving in Bremen, while his injury history meant the circumstances surrounding his availability also created an element of uncertainty.

For Werder, the important point was that they could handle the injury problems, but then things got worse.

Victor Boniface suffered another setback

Werder’s decision becomes more understandable because the club did not enter the transfer blindly.

“We knew there was a knee issue, of course,” Fritz admitted.

“That he had to be injured again and operated on, no one could foresee that.”

Werder accepted the first risk because the potential sporting benefit made financial sense. The second development was simply an outcome they could not reliably predict.

That does not make Boniface’s spell successful, but it explains why the club refuses to label the decision to bring him in on loan as a mistake.

Fritz also highlighted Boniface’s behaviour within the squad, revealing that the striker’s attitude made the deal worth it.

“Victor is a reasonable boy who also brought no unrest to the cabin with us. That’s why I can’t say I regret it.”

The Nigerian’s professionalism reinforced Werder’s belief that the transfer was a reasonable gamble, even if the sporting return has not matched expectations.

The subsequent injury setback may have complicated the transfer, but from Werder’s perspective, it did not change the logic that led them to make it.