Werder Bremen have said they do not regret bringing Victor Boniface to the Bundesliga side on loan last season despite his knee injury.
Boniface joined Bremen on loan from Bayer Leverkusen but struggled to make an impact due to his knee injury.
Managing Director of Professional Football, Clemens Fritz, said the club was aware of Boniface’s knee problem.
Boniface endured a challenging season with the German side, as recurring injuries disrupted his rhythm and hindered his ability to make a consistent impact.
The Nigerian international featured in only 11 matches across all competitions, providing two assists as Werder Bremen narrowly avoided relegation.
Despite the injury concerns surrounding the striker, Fritz acknowledged that the club viewed the deal as a manageable risk due to its limited financial resources and the need to strengthen its attacking options.
“Not so much. We still wanted a striker at the time and had very limited financial resources. Victor was available at short notice. We saw it as an opportunity. The financial risk was manageable,” Fritz stated, according to Stern.
“Of course, we were aware of the knee issue. But nobody could have predicted that he would sustain another injury and require surgery,” he said.
The Bremen director also praised Boniface’s character during his time at the club, emphasising that the Nigerian forward remained professional despite his injury problems.
“Victor is a sensible lad who didn’t cause any trouble in our locker room. That’s why I can’t say I regret it. We have to be willing to take a certain amount of risk,” he noted.
Upon his return to the BayArena, Boniface will be eager to put his difficult spell behind him and regain his best form for Leverkusen this campaign.