Victor Boniface of Leverkusen. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
Monday Apr 06, 2026. 15:00
Werder Bremen sporting director Clemens Fritz has admitted to making a miscalculation with the loan signing of Victor Boniface from Bayer Leverkusen.
The Nigeria international joined Bremen from their Bundesliga rivals on a temporary deal in September last year after seeing a proposed move to AC Milan fall through due to concerns over his fitness.
However, Boniface has managed just 11 top-flight appearances for Daniel Thioune’s side this season as a result of a serious knee injury he sustained in December.
The 25-year-old striker made just two league starts and has yet to open his account for the River Islanders, although he recently returned to training after missing the last 15 games.
Fritz explained the club’s decision to take a gamble on Boniface, saying they had hoped his loan would allow them to ease youngster Keke Topp into the first team.
“Victor wouldn’t play 34 games, that was clear to us,” he told FAZ in reference to Boniface’s injury record at Leverkusen.
“Therefore, our thinking was: if we develop Keke Topp, but have the quality in Victor to share the playing time – then it could work. In hindsight, that was a miscalculation.”