Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface might have to undergo surgery to correct a lingering knee problem, Soccernet.ng reports.
Boniface's fitness has come under a lot of scrutiny in the last six months. In his first two seasons at Bayer Leverkusen, he was a prolific goalscorer, contributing 32 goals and 12 assists in 61 appearances.
However, during the last summer transfer window, Die Werkself put him up for sale following the appointment of Erik ten Hag as coach.
He was initially billed for a transfer to AC Milan, but the deal fell through as the Rossoneri were not comfortable with his injury history.
At the time, the fact that he had suffered two anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries earlier in his career was the main reason cited for the collapsed move.
Eventually, he secured a season-long loan move to Werder Bremen, but his minutes have been badly limited.
In fact, since joining in the summer, Boniface has only started two of the 11 games he has featured in.
Two weeks ago, news broke that the Akure-bred striker was nursing a minor injury. That injury eventually kept him out of Werder Bremen's last two games of the year against Stuttgart and Augsburg. But what was first believed to be a minor issue could be much more serious.
Victor Boniface Might Have To Undergo Surgery
According to a report from Deichstube, Victor Boniface's knee injury is more severe than first suspected.
Although the exact nature of his injury has not been revealed, the striker, who just turned 24 on December 23, has to choose between surgery or playing through pain for the rest of the season.
If he undergoes surgery, he will automatically be ruled out of action for the rest of the campaign. But if he decides to stay and play, he will have to cope with the physical toll. The decision rests entirely on Boniface, and he is expected to make a choice soon.
In the meantime, Werder Bremen have already contacted Bayer Leverkusen and are in talks to cut short his loan so he can return to his parent club.
The next few weeks will be decisive for Boniface, as this is a very important period in his career.
