Don't come, we are sh*t — Boniface reveals how he was warned before joining Bayer Leverkusen

Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface recently revealed that his close friend and former teammate Jeremie Frimpong explicitly warned him against signing for Bayer Leverkusen ahead of the 2023/2024 season. 

Speaking recently on the Culture League podcast, Boniface detailed how he called the Dutch defender to discuss the impending transfer, who bluntly stated that joining the German outfit would be a massive mistake. 

“I'll say this on camera for the first time: my best friend is Jeremie. Yh, before joining Leverkusen, you know I played against Leverkusen, so they decided to sign me,” Boniface said. 

'Before coming, I called Jeremie. I said, ‘I have this offer; I want to come to Leverkusen.’ he told me, ‘if e good for you, no come.’

I swear on God, he told me, "Don't come; we are jogodo, we are sh*t, cus they had a bad season before, so I came.”

Despite the stern advice, Boniface pressed ahead with the transfer and claimed he even informed the squad what Frimpong had said before the transfer. 

Leverkusen’s abysmal form justified Frimpong’s initial reservations at the time of the call. He issued the warning following a highly disappointing 2022/2023 season during which they only managed to salvage and finish 6th due to the mid-season arrival of Xabi Alonso. 

However, Boniface's arrival proved to be the exact catalyst needed for a miraculous turnaround. Leading Die Werkself in scoring, the Nigerian won the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award, transforming “Neverkusen” from underachievers into history-makers.

Leverkusen had a record-breaking 51-match unbeaten streak that season, conquering German football by lifting both the  Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal to secure an unprecedented, invincible domestic double.

Frimpong and Boniface's career paths have since diverged. Frimpong secured a blockbuster transfer to Liverpool last summer on a five-year contract to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Boniface remained at Leverkusen, where the Nigerian has endured a frustrating period plagued by injuries. He was on loan to Werder Bremen in the summer, but an injury forced him back to his parent club.