Leverkusen Boss Says Boniface Will Return Strong

Bayer Leverkusen's Sporting Director Simon Rolfes believes that Victor Boniface can get back to his best form before the new season starts. He said the Bundesliga club is ready to support the Nigerian striker in getting back to peak condition, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

Boniface had a great first season after joining Bayer Leverkusen from Belgian team Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer of 2023. The Nigerian striker scored 21 goals and provided nine assists in 34 matches. His performance helped Xabi Alonso’s team win their first Bundesliga title without a single defeat.

He also won four Rookie of the Month awards during that amazing season.

But injuries affected his progress last season, making it hard for him to keep the high level he had set. Boniface scored 11 goals and made one assist in 27 games during the 2024/25 season, while worries about his recurring knee issues started to grow.

Things got worse for him after two failed transfer attempts. The first was to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, and the second was to AC Milan. Medical issues were said to have caused both deals to fall through.

His situation took another hit with a surprising loan to Werder Bremen. Injuries and fitness problems heavily impacted his performances there. Boniface did not score in 11 appearances for the club as he struggled with knee pain and conditioning.

Now, he is set to return to his parent club ahead of next season, and they are ready to help him regain his form.

“The knee looks pretty good today. But the weight is a bit of his weak spot. It’s our goal to get him back in top form. Then he has a chance to play for many teams,” Rolfes said in an interview with Sport Bild, as reported by Rheinpfalz.

“We text every few days. We will never forget what Boniface did for us in the season we won the league. That’s when he embodied what we needed, this attack mode,” Rolfes added.

With his contract at the BayArena lasting until 2028, Boniface is facing an important pre-season. He needs to show Leverkusen’s coaches that he can be a key player for the club again. The German team finished sixth in the Bundesliga while he was away and will play in the UEFA Europa League next season.