Was ist mit Victor Boniface passiert?

Victor Boniface kämpft um seine letzte Chance bei Bayer 04 Leverkusen, nachdem seine Leihe zu Werder Bremen desaströs verlief.

Wer hat die Rückkehr von Boniface bestätigt?

Die Rückkehr von Victor Boniface wurde von Bayer 04 Leverkusen bestätigt, und Geschäftsführer Simon Rolfes äußerte sich positiv über seine Fortschritte.

Victor Boniface hat sich nach einer zuvor abgelehnten Operation an seinem Knie entschieden, diese durchzuführen, was ihm neue Hoffnung für ein Comeback gibt.

Welche Veränderungen gibt es bei Boniface?

Victor Boniface hat bereits wieder mit dem Training in Leverkusen begonnen und zeigt erste positive Signale nach seiner Operation.

Wie verlief Bonifaces Leihe zu Werder Bremen?

Die Leihe zu Werder Bremen verlief schlecht, da Boniface in nur fünf Bundesliga-Einsätzen keine nennenswerten Leistungen zeigen konnte.

What happened in this story?

Frühstart ohne Ballast: Boniface sendet erste Signale summarizes the main development covered in this report.

Who confirmed this news?

See the source attribution in the article for where this report was first published or corroborated.

Early start without ballast: Boniface sends the first signals:

Early start without ballast: Boniface sends the first signals

According to Kicker.

Background

Victor Boniface, the Nigerian international, has struggled with injury problems in the past at both Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Werder Bremen. His return to training could open the door to another chance in the Bundesliga after he only featured sporadically last season. The development of his fitness will be closely monitored, particularly with a view to possible transfers or a return to his best.

Why this is important

The return of Victor Boniface to training is a crucial step for Bayer 04 Leverkusen, as the striker had little influence on the game last season. His performance in the Bundesliga was disappointing, particularly during his loan spell at Werder Bremen, where he only made five appearances. A successful comeback attempt could not only save his career, but also help Bayer 04 solve their offensive problems.

Key findings

Early start without ballast: Boniface sends the first signals.
Victor Boniface, Bayer 04's problem striker, has resumed training and is showing the first positive progress after his knee operation.
Victor Boniface remains central to Bayer 04 Leverkusen's plans.

A year ago, Bayer 04 gave problem striker Victor Boniface to Bremen on loan, which was disastrous. Now the attacker is fighting for his last chance and is at least sending the first positive signals. Bayer 04 will start their summer preparations on July 14th. But a professional who only made negative headlines last season has already resumed training in Leverkusen: Victor Boniface, most recently loaned to Werder Bremen and not a factor there with only five Bundesliga appearances, is working in and around the BayArena for his comeback. The 1.90 meter tall center forward finally became a problem last summer when he put incorrect strain on his knee, which was no longer virgin, during individual preparation and was therefore unable to really accelerate in preparation due to major problems with the joint. As a result, Boniface was not competitive and was looking for a new challenge. But at AC Milan, Sturmtank failed the medical check because of his knee, so he was loaned out to Bremen on deadline day at the last minute and without a medical check - where his knee of course didn't allow him to perform in the Bundesliga. At the beginning of 2026, the Nigerian international decided to have a previously rejected operation and since then Boniface has had hope again, as managing director Simon Rolfes explained to kicker in June. Apparently the feeling didn't deceive the former professional.

The club has now published at least the first pictures of Boniface, who is said to have resumed work four weeks before the start of training on July 14th. What is striking is that the attacker, who weighed 91 kilograms in the summer of 2025, appears significantly slimmer than he did at the beginning of spring after the operation. At that time, Boniface must have easily cracked the 100 kilogram mark, as various photos showed in which the player had significantly too much fat on his hips. The striker is willing, but does his body also cooperate? Boniface successfully removed the middle ring. Now it's a question of whether his knee can regain its absolute resilience and whether he can regain the irresistible dynamic that made him one of the league's sensations in the first half of the 2023/24 double season. The attacker, who came from Union Saint-Gilloise in 2023 for a transfer fee of more than 20 million euros including bonuses, has sent the first signs that he is serious about his ambitions to get his career going again. Now it remains to be seen whether his body will play along. Boniface would like to prepare for this ideally before the start at a training camp in Marbella - unlike after careful consultation with the doctors and athletics specialists at Bayer 04. Boniface cannot afford another setback, given the competition at the factory club anyway. The club is definitely planning on having goalscorer Patrik Schick and talented attacker Christian Kofane. Even if a fit Boniface would always be an option at Bayer 04, it can be assumed that the club would not restrict the options of either of the other two attackers in favor of the Nigerian. Three central attackers are definitely one too many for the 4-2-3-1 system under new coach Carles Martinez. For Boniface, who had already suffered two cruciate ligament tears before his time in Leverkusen, it is primarily a matter of making himself a serious option for potential interested parties. So that a club at least considers bringing the striker on loan with an obligation to buy depending on appearances. The number of potential applicants will initially be limited after the failed medical check in Milan and the disastrous loan to Werder. The risk is obvious given Boniface's history. Boniface first has to prove his physical fitness. Which is also very important for Bayer 04. After all, the striker is tied to the factory club with a lucrative contract until 2029.

What happens next

With the start of summer preparation on July 14th, Boniface will have the opportunity to prove himself and potentially secure his place in the Bayer 04 Leverkusen squad. The coming weeks are crucial to see whether he has fully recovered from his knee surgery and can return to playing at the level required for the Bundesliga is orderly. If he proves fit, he could also be interesting for other Bundesliga clubs, such as Werder Bremen or even international clubs.