The Nigeria international quickly became popular in Germany and has already been compared to Africa’s most valuable player
Former Belgian coach Marc Wilmots has backed Bayer Leverkusen’s rising star Victor Bonifati as a potential successor to Nigeria’s next €100m sensation, following in the footsteps of Napoli’s Victor Osimhen Soccernet.ng reported.
After enjoying great success with Belgian club Union Saint Giroise, 22-year-old Bonifati moved to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer to further develop his football in Germany.
His time with the Bundesliga team has been exceptional, with an impressive 6 goals and 3 assists in just 6 appearances in different competitions since joining.
In recognition of his excellent start in Germany, Boniface won both the Bundesliga Newcomer of the Month and Player of the Month awards in August, making it a remarkable debut month for the young striker.
Mr. Wilmots, who had carefully observed Boniface during his stay in Belgium, did not hide his admiration. He told the kicker:
“I saw Boniface live in Belgium 10 times and immediately thought, ‘What kind of striker is that?’ He has it all.”
The former Belgium national team coach admitted that Boniface’s left-foot and heading skills still have room for improvement, but stressed that these were minor concerns.
He further explained: “I immediately said that he is the best striker in the Belgian league and could move to Germany or even England. Leverkusen would have a lot of fun with him.”
When asked about the possibility of Boniface being sold for 100 million euros in the future, Wilmots expressed confidence by saying:
“Of course, of course. He’s young. If you look at his potential, only a handful of strikers have it. He has a lot of good things.
“If he gets more spots and scores 15 to 20 goals, he has a chance to play for a top club in the Premier League.” His goal is to be in the Premier League within two or three years. He will probably be in the top 6.
Nigeria has a long history of producing outstanding football talent, including icons such as Austin Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Mikel Obi, Victor Moses and Vincent Eniama.
However, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is the first and only Nigerian player worth a whopping 100 million euros.
Osimhen made a historic move from Lille to Napoli in 2020, making him the most expensive transfer in African history, and he will break that record again when he leaves Napoli.
