Saudi Arabian clubs appear to be repeating a familiar pattern in their pursuit of Nigerian stars, Victor Boniface and Victor Osimhen, Soccernet.ng reports.
Earlier this week, the Bayer Leverkusen star was on the verge of joining Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr following the exit of Anderson Talisca to Fenerbahçe SK.
However, the deal broke down when the Riyadh-based club agreed on a deal with Aston Villa for the signature of Colombian forward Jhon Durán.
This has not been taken lightly by the Nigerian football community, who feel the Saudi Arabian clubs are toying with the minds of football faithful and creating a déjà vu incident similar to Osimhen’s situation last summer.
Boniface to Saudi Arabia: A life-changer
The reports broke out a few days before the end of the January transfer window, when the Saudi clubs were reportedly having discussions with the BayArena outfit over the signature of Boniface.
Meanwhile, the news of him leaving Europe for Saudi Arabia at an early stage of his career and the money involved in the deal sparked mixed reactions in the Nigerian football space.
For Nigerian football legend and former Ajax star, Tijani Babangida, spending more time in Europe to achieve the best would be an ideal move for the 24-year-old.
“Given his immense talent, for me, he still had more than seven years at the highest level in the best European clubs. Al Nassr is a big club, but I still think he is too young to play in Saudi Arabia. I think this will have an impact on his legacy,” he told Africa Foot.
Meanwhile, from the deal, Boniface was to get €15 million per year, which, converted to naira, means the former Royale Union Saint-Gilloise player would have earned 65 million naira each day for a year.
It should be noted that one of the primary reasons footballers aim to achieve the best in their careers, aside from having passion for it, is to make money as well.
Déjà Vu Saga With Victor Osimhen
Although Osimhen was at the center of a transfer tussle between his club and potential suitors, including Saudi clubs, Al Hilal was ready to lure Osimhen with a lucrative offer.
Along the line, little was known that the Saudi clubs were also targeting then-Brentford star Ivan Toney for almost the same fee, ultimately securing the English international over Osimhen.
This seems very similar to Boniface’s case, as he has been left hanging following the swift drama with the Saudi clubs.
Super Eagles: What Next For Osimhen and Boniface?
Boniface joined the 2023–24 Bundesliga champions in the summer of 2023 and has played a key role in the success of Xabi Alonso’s troops.
Meanwhile, he is tied to the club until 2028 and will be aiming to respect that deal unless a club with a more attractive offer comes knocking.
That said, it should not be ruled out that the Nigerian is still attracting suitors in Europe, with AC Milan, Manchester United, Arsenal, and even Napoli previously being linked with signing the Super Eagles attacker.
For Osimhen, he is currently on a season-long loan at Galatasaray SK. Meanwhile, a return to Napoli has been ruled out following the signing of Romelu Lukaku, and he has been performing well for Galatasaray since he joined.
Many clubs have been linked with the Nigerian, but it remains to be seen where he will head permanently in the next summer window.
