Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface has resumed training with Bayer Leverkusen after his proposed €15 million per season move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr fell through.
Boniface, who was excused from training and left out of Leverkusen’s UEFA Champions League squad on Wednesday, shared a picture of himself and teammates in training on Thursday following the announcement.
Negotiations between Leverkusen and Al Nassr appeared to be progressing smoothly, but transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Saudi club ultimately backed out of the deal.
“Victor Boniface and Al Nassr, deal off,” Romano posted on X. “The Nigerian striker won’t join the club; the deal was advanced but never done as Al Nassr never gave the final green light.”
Leverkusen had agreed to sell Boniface for €60 million, exceeding their initial asking price of €50 million. However, Al Nassr’s decision to abandon the transfer was influenced by their pursuit of Aston Villa’s John Duran.
Initially, Duran was unavailable due to Villa’s high asking price, prompting Al Nassr to prioritize Boniface. However, fresh negotiations on Wednesday saw Villa soften their stance, leading to an agreement for Duran’s transfer to Saudi Arabia for a guaranteed €77 million plus potential add-ons.
Duran has already agreed to a five-and-a-half-year contract and is set to travel to London for his medical. Al Nassr are rushing to finalize the transfer before the Saudi transfer window closes on January 31.
Boniface, who joined Leverkusen in the summer of 2023 for €20 million plus add-ons, will now remain with the German club unless another suitable offer arises.
The Nigerian forward played a crucial role in Leverkusen’s double triumph last season, scoring 21 goals and providing 10 assists in 34 appearances. This season, he has recorded eight goals and one assist in 15 matches but has only just recovered from a thigh injury that sidelined him since November 2024.
