Nigeria international Victor Boniface’s proposed transfer to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr is officially off, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic
Al-Nassr had verbally agreed to pay Bayer Leverkusen €60 million for the 24-year-old forward, who also accepted personal terms and passed a routine medical. However, the Saudi club later put the payment on hold.
Boniface, who secretly extended his contract with Leverkusen last week—securing a wage increase to €6 million per year until 2029—had agreed to a lucrative €15 million annual salary with Al-Nassr. Despite the significant pay rise, the transfer stalled due to Al-Nassr’s hesitation.
The Saudi club has now shifted focus to Aston Villa’s Jhon Durán, agreeing to a deal worth over €70 million—€10 million more than what was planned for Boniface. The 25-year-old Colombian forward is set to earn €18 million per year, €3 million more than Boniface’s proposed salary. The deal is expected to be finalized after Al-Nassr’s UEFA Champions League match against Celtic.
With the Durán agreement in place, Boniface will remain at Bayer Leverkusen until at least the summer. However, a departure then seems likely, given his deteriorating relationship with club officials and his loss of a starting spot to Patrik Schick.
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