Sport Bild has reported that Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface may be facing season-ending knee surgery. His current loan at Bundesliga club Werder Bremen has been nothing short of disastrous, prompting Leverkusen’s medical staff to consider taking the 24-year-old off the field and out of the spotlight.
What went wrong for Victor Boniface at Bremen?
The issues are numerous. Leverkusen initially tried to loan Boniface to a Serie A side, but the transfer fell through due to a failed medical and fitness issues. Upon joining Bremen, Boniface arrived in poor physical condition, leading head coach Horst Steffen to state that – despite his notable talent – he needed to gradually regain match fitness.
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Steffen did not hesitate to critique Boniface’s inconsistent performances during his substitute appearances. The 13-time international harmed his case further by posting cryptic messages on social media and showing little commitment to improving his fitness.
As it stands, Boniface has yet to score a goal for his loan club. Steffen started him in matches eight and nine but quickly reassigned him, utilizing him off the bench just four times afterwards. A knee injury sustained in the “Nordderby” loss to Hamburger SV has kept him from training for the past two weeks.
Transfermarkt has reduced Boniface’s estimated market value twice this autumn. Initially valued at €40 million, his worth has now plummeted to €12 million following two significant reductions.