Boniface's Werder Bremen future in jeopardy as Super Eagles star considers another knee surgery

Victor Boniface’s difficult spell at Werder Bremen has effectively come to an end, with the Bundesliga club deciding the Super Eagles striker will not feature again this season.

Persistent knee problems and the looming possibility of surgery have forced both player and club into an early conclusion over his short-lived stay.

Boniface arrived at Werder Bremen amid high expectations after a prolific spell at Bayer Leverkusen, where he registered 32 goals and 12 assists in 61 appearances and played a key role in their Bundesliga title win.

However, what looked like a chance to relaunch his career quickly turned into a frustrating campaign marked by limited minutes and recurring fitness issues.

The 25-year-old struggled for game time in the first half of the season and did not start a match until November. Matters worsened in early December when a knee injury ruled him out for the rest of the month, including Bundesliga fixtures against Stuttgart and Augsburg.

Reports later revealed the injury may require surgery, with Boniface given the option of operating immediately or attempting to manage the problem, an approach that could still rule him out until next season.

According to DeichStube, Werder Bremen have now taken a definitive stance, deciding Boniface will no longer play for the club this season, regardless of whether he undergoes surgery or if his loan from Bayer Leverkusen is formally terminated.

Werder Bremen’s Head of Professional Football, Peter Niemeyer, confirmed the severity of the situation after the club’s first training session of 2026.

“The 25-year-old is suffering from a knee injury that prevents him from participating in team training,” Niemeyer said, adding that Boniface will travel to Innsbruck on January 8 to consult renowned knee specialist Prof. Dr. Christian Fink.

“Victor will travel to Innsbruck, Austria, on January 8 to see knee specialist Prof. Dr. Christian Fink for an examination regarding a possible operation,” he explained. “We want to wait for the examination results first. The next steps will then be determined based on those results.”

Niemeyer also admitted the club knew signing Boniface carried risk. “We saw [signing Boniface] as an opportunity in the summer, and every opportunity carries a risk,” he said. “Ultimately, we all hoped for more from this loan. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out as we had envisioned.”

With just two assists in 11 appearances, Boniface’s Bremen chapter has fallen far short of expectations. The coming weeks will now be crucial as the Nigerian forward weighs another knee surgery, hoping it can finally put an end to a nightmare season and revive his once-blazing career.