Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface has spoken candidly about the collapse of his high-profile transfer from Bayer Leverkusen to Saudi Pro League giants Al-Nassr, where he would have joined Cristiano Ronaldo. The 23-year-old revealed on The Culture League podcast that he had agreed personal terms and was ready to move, even packing his bags and preparing for the flight when the deal fell through at the last moment.
Boniface was set to earn around €45 million over a three-year contract and had successfully passed his medical. Bayer Leverkusen and Al-Nassr had already reached a club-to-club agreement reportedly worth €60 million. However, the Saudi club suddenly abandoned the move to sign Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran instead, disrupting Boniface’s dream of playing alongside Ronaldo.
“I was ready to go. I packed my bags. We drove to Frankfurt. The money was a lot,” Boniface said, recalling how he had given away designer clothes and shoes ahead of the move. “The flight was waiting. I was praying for the deal to happen but it didn’t work out last minute.”
Experts and insiders speculate that Al-Nassr’s preference for the more expensive signing of Duran, along with perceived missteps in negotiation strategy, led to the collapse. Despite the setback, Boniface completed the season at Leverkusen and continues to build his promising career, determined to bounce back from the disappointment.
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