Super Eagles forward, Victor Boniface, has resumed training with Bayer Leverkusen following the collapse of his proposed €15m-per-season transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.
The Nigerian forward had been excused from training and omitted from Leverkusen’s squad for their UEFA Champions League fixture on Wednesday.
However, in response to the latest developments, he shared a photo of himself with teammates back in training on Thursday.
Although discussions between Leverkusen and Al Nassr had progressed smoothly, football transfer expert,Fabrizio Romano, confirmed that the move ultimately fell through.
“Victor Boniface and Al Nassr, deal off,” Romano posted via X.
“The Nigerian striker won’t join the club; the deal was advanced but never done as Al Nassr never gave the final green light.”
Leverkusen stood to gain €60m from the deal—€10m above their initial €50m valuation of Boniface—had the transfer materialized.
Reports indicated that Al Nassr’s hesitation stemmed from their concurrent pursuit of Aston Villa’s John Duran.
While Boniface was initially prioritized due to Villa’s firm stance on Duran, negotiations took a turn on Wednesday. Fresh discussions led Villa to soften their position, paving the way for Duran’s transfer to Saudi Arabia.
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Al Nassr have now reached an agreement with Villa to sign the Colombian forward for a guaranteed €77m plus potential add-ons.
Duran has also accepted a five-and-a-half-year contract and was scheduled to travel to London on Thursday for a medical.
With the Saudi transfer window closing on January 31—three days before England’s deadline—Al Nassr are pushing to finalize the deal swiftly.
Meanwhile, Boniface remains at Leverkusen, at least for now. The German champions, who signed him for €20m plus add-ons in 2023, remain open to offers that align with their valuation.
A key figure in Leverkusen’s historic double-winning campaign last season, the Nigerian striker contributed 21 goals and 10 assists in 34 appearances across all competitions.
This term, he has netted eight goals and provided one assist in 15 matches but only recently returned from a thigh injury that sidelined him since November 2024.
