Nigerian forward Victor Boniface’s proposed move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr has collapsed after the club opted to sign Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran instead.
Al Nassr has secured the services of Colombian forward, Jhon Duran in a high-profile €77 million deal, including add-ons, effectively ending their pursuit of Victor Boniface.
The Nigerian forward was heavily linked with a move away from Bayer Leverkusen following the exit of Brazilian striker Anderson Talisca to join Jose Mourinho’s army at Fenerbahce SK.
However, recent reports have confirmed that Boniface will not be heading to Saudi Arabia to join Cristiano Ronaldo on a €15 million per-year salary package.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, discussions for Boniface had been progressing. Since Monday, a Saudi delegation has been in Germany to finalise negotiations. However, in a sudden turn of events, the Riyadh-based club shifted focus to Duran and quickly reached an agreement with Aston Villa.
The 21-year-old Colombian striker has reportedly agreed to personal terms and is set to sign a long-term contract with Al Nassr.
His medical examination is scheduled for Thursday, after which he will officially join a star-studded squad featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo Brozovic, Sadio Mane, and Aymeric Laporte.
Al Nassr had initially engaged in talks with Bayer Leverkusen for Boniface, with the Bundesliga champions valuing the Nigerian at approximately €50 million.
Amid the transfer speculation, Boniface had been excused from Leverkusen training earlier this week as negotiations intensified. Reports even suggested that he had undergone a medical, indicating that the deal was close to completion.
With the collapse of the transfer, Boniface is now expected to return to Bayer Leverkusen and resume training.
Speaking ahead of Leverkusen’s Bundesliga clash against Hoffenheim, Alonso acknowledged that the transfer discussions had progressed but insisted that Boniface remains comfortable in Germany.
“We will certainly talk about it when we meet again. It can happen [that a transfer doesn’t work out]. We spoke before this transfer period, and Boni was open to a move, but he feels comfortable here. He will focus on staying here, be positive about his situation, and fight for his position in the team,” Alonso told German outlet BILD.
Despite the uncertainty over his future in recent weeks, Boniface remains in Leverkusen’s plans. When asked if the Super Eagles striker would be included in the squad for Sunday’s game, Alonso replied, “Normally, yes.”
There had been speculation that Leverkusen might look for a replacement following the failed transfer, but Alonso firmly ruled out signing another striker: “Of course not.”
