Victor Boniface: Details Emerge on Why Potential Transfer From Leverkusen to Al-Nassr Failed

• Victor Boniface verbally agreed a deal with Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr, but negotiations collapsed in the final hours
• German journalist and transfer expert Florian Plettenberg had heavily reported that Boniface was on the verge of joining Cristiano Ronaldo
• Despite that the Super Eagles star completed a medical, Al-Nassr abandoned the deal and instead signed Jhon Duran

Nigerian international Victor Boniface was on the verge of completing a switch to join Saudi club Al-Nassr before the transfer failed.

German journalist Florian Plettenberg has disclosed that a deal for the striker to join Cristiano Ronaldo at the club was being finalized.

Further reports claim that Bayer Leverkusen would receive a €60 million transfer fee, while Boniface will earn around €15 million net salary per season.

It looked like the deal was almost across the line but reports surfaced that Al-Nassr would rather sign Colombian forward Jhon Duran.

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A verbal agreement with Boniface was already in place and the Nigerian international already completed a medical with the club.

New York Times reports that Al-Nassr then completed the €75m signing of Duran, much more than what they agreed to pay for the Nigerian international.

The sudden decision by the Saudi outfit to abandon Boniface's pursuit has left Nigerian football fans with mixed reactions.

Duran will also earn a yearly wage of €20 million as he moves from the English club Aston Villa.

Speaking on why negotiations over Boniface collapsed, Sky Sports Germany transfer expert Florian Plettenberg faulted Leverkusen over how they handled the talks.

He accused them of underrating the Saudis and that they already had a bad impression about the whole scenario.

Plettenberg said via Own Goal:

“I think Bayer Leverkusen underestimated Al-Nassr a bit because I think you need to approach these negotiations with Saudi clubs a little differently.

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“I also think that Al-Nassr made a really bad impression – the player did his medical, the time was invested, the player was missing from training and the last game – then to say ‘no we’d rather sign Jhon Durán’ [made a bad impression].

"I think [Leverkusen] had too much confidence in all these verbal agreements and they’ll have learned from that, but again, Al-Nassr made a really bad impression.”

Boniface speaks on failed transfer move

Legit.ng earlier reported that Boniface appears unfazed, claiming he is 100 per cent focused on Bayer Leverkusen now.

Fans were left divided over the forward's potential move to the Middle East, despite his age of 24.

The forward disclosed that transfer rumours are normal in football.

Source: Legit.ng