Victor Boniface Breaks Silence on Failed Transfer to Al Nassr Despite Agreement with Ronaldo’s Club
Written By Danile Okafor
July 21, 2025 – Nigerian international and Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface has opened up about the sudden collapse of his proposed transfer to Saudi Pro League giants Al Nassr, where he was set to join forces with football legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
Speaking on The Culture League podcast, Boniface revealed that the transfer was all but finalized before Al Nassr made a last-minute decision to sign Jhon Duran from Aston Villa instead.
“I was ready to go. I packed my bags. I live in Cologne, we drove to Frankfurt. The flight was waiting,” Boniface said. “I was in my hotel room praying for the deal to happen, but it didn’t work out at the last minute.”
The 23-year-old Super Eagles forward had agreed personal terms with Al Nassr and was expected to earn a staggering €45 million over a three-year contract. The deal had reached the final stages, with Boniface passing his medical and Bayer Leverkusen reaching a club-to-club agreement with the Saudi side.
Boniface, who played a key role in Leverkusen’s successful campaign last season, shared how confident he was that the move would happen.
“The money is a lot, to be honest,” he admitted. “Most of my designer clothes and shoes, I had already given them out to my friends at home.”
Despite the disappointment, Boniface’s focus now returns to Bayer Leverkusen, where he is expected to play a major role in their upcoming domestic and European campaigns. The Nigerian striker is also looking ahead to Nigeria’s AFCON and World Cup qualifying matches, as he continues to develop into one of Africa’s top attacking talents.
The failed transfer highlights the high-stakes nature of modern football deals, where last-minute changes can alter a player’s career path in an instant — even when everything seems set.
