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AFCON 2025
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Werder Bremen president Hubertus Hess-Grunewald has defended the club’s choice to sign Victor Boniface last summer, insisting the move was made with full awareness of the striker's fitness struggles.
Boniface joined the Green-Whites on a season-long loan from Bayer Leverkusen on deadline day in September 2025, after a high-profile move to AC Milan reportedly collapsed over medical concerns.
However, his time in Bremen was hugely underwhelming and difficult, marked by recurring injuries and a lack of goals, leading to criticism from fans.
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09:44 - 27.01.2026
What next for Boniface? Super Eagles star faces long road ahead after failed Bremen stint
Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface has officially returned to Bayer Leverkusen after his season-long loan at Werder Bremen was cut short.
Bremen chief defends failed Boniface transfer
Boniface was left out of Nigeria's AFCON squad and failed to score a single goal for Bremen before his loan was cut short after undergoing surgery.
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However, despite the 25-year-old's disappointing spell in Bremen, the club's president believes it was still a good move.
Speaking on the TV program Buten un Binnen, Hess-Grunewald explained that the club had a clear plan to manage the 25-year-old’s workload alongside young striker Keke Topp.
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"The idea was to have Keke Topp and Victor Boniface as two players who would share playing time," Hess-Grunewald said.
"Because we also knew that Victor wouldn't be fully fit, but with his quality, he could get some playing time."
Despite the club's cautious approach, the "gamble" has not paid off. Boniface has struggled to find his rhythm, making only 11 league appearances and recording two assists without scoring a single goal.
His season was officially cut short in January 2026 after undergoing surgery in Austria for a serious knee injury.
The Super Eagles forward is expected to miss the rest of the campaign, and with his loan deal expiring in June, it is unlikely he will play for the club again.
As Bremen prepare to face the final stretch of the season without him, the focus remains on whether their "risk" on Boniface’s quality was worth the cost of their current league position.