Xabi Alonso confirmed that Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface will remain at the club beyond the January transfer window amid rumours of a move to Saudi Arabia. (More Football News)
Xabi Alonso Confirms Victor Boniface Will Stay At Bayer Leverkusen Amid Saudi Arabia Transfer Rumours
Boniface returned from injury last Saturday but was on the bench for Leverkusen's 2-2 draw with RB Leipzig, and was not named in the squad for Alonso's side's routine victory over lowly Sparta
Boniface was ab🦄sent from Leverkusen's 2-0 win over Sparta Prague in the Chamꦛpions League on Wednesday, a result that saw them automatically qualify for the last 16.
Goals in either half from Florian Wirtz and Nathan Tella saw Alonso's side finish si🦩xth in the 36-team standings, with a potential blockbuster tie against Celtic, Manchester City, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the next round.
Since the start of last season, no team has won more games than Leverkusen in major European competition (14 – level with Real Madrid ꧑and Liverpool). Meanwhile, only Barcelona and Real Madrid (48 each) have netted more goals than Alonso’s side (46) in the same period.
But the source of those goals in Europe has come from Boniface, with the Nigerian netting six goals in 11 appearances for Leverkusen in the Champions Le🍌ague🦂 and Europa League since arriving from Union Saint-Gilloise in 2023.
Boniface returned from inju🔯ry last Saturday but was on the bench for Leverkusen's 2-2 draw with RB Leipzig, and was not named in the squad for Alonso's side's routine victory over lowly Sparta.
Reports have suggested a move to Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr could materialise. However, Alonso was qu🔴ick to rubbish those rumours on Wednesday.
"He will train again tomorrow. I believe he is staying with us," Alonso𓆉 told reporters aft💟er that win.
"So I have to say that I am satisfied, I am happy. 🐻He is comfortable here, so I don't believe that this i🍸s a big stress for him."
Boniface has netted eight goals 🍷in 15 games in all competitions this season, but has missed 12 games already this term with a niggling hamstring injury.
He enjoyed a breakthrough year under Alonso in 2023-24, scoring 21 goals and laying on a futher 10 assists as he helped Leverkusen to a maiden🙈 Bundesliga title along with successes in the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Su🧔percup.
In the Bundesliga thi🔯s season, only Florian Wirtz (7.13) an📖d Patrik Schick (7.92) have a higher expected goals (xG) total than Boniface (6.54) for Leverkusen.
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But with Alonso confirming that the Nigerian will remain with the Bundeslig🅘a champions, it could open the door for Aston Villa's ꦆJhon Duran to join Al-Nassr instead.
Duran is also a report൩ed target for the Saudi Pro League, w✤ho are looking to bolster their star-studded frontline that already boasts the attacking talents of Ronaldo and Sadio Mane.
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