The club's sporting director says the Super Eagles striker still has a route back into the side, even as reports say he wants to leave when the window reopens.
Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes has said Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface will get another opportunity at the club if he stays fit and improves, despite reports that he wants to leave in January. Rolfes made the comments on 24 October.
Boniface has struggled for playing time this season. The 25-year-old has made one appearance for the Bundesliga side, five minutes in their 3-2 opening-day defeat to newly promoted SV Elversberg. Leverkusen then left him out of their Europa League squad following Martin Terrier's long-term injury, registering Jonas Hofmann as the replacement and leaving Boniface out of the European competition. He spent last season on loan at Werder Bremen.
The exit talk is based on a report that Boniface's representatives had told Leverkusen he wants out when the window opens. Soccernet says the report was made by Sky Germany and carried by Bulinews on 22 October. Soccernet further notes that no concrete talks with interested clubs are known, and a deal is not thought to have reached an advanced stage.
Rolfes laid out the club's position:
"He needs to stay fit, keep at it, and improve, then his opportunity will come."
Rolfes said he is not worried, and that the striker is in much better shape mentally. "Since then, he's been in much better shape, mentally as well, and sees many more possibilities again," he added.
On the football side, Rolfes said pressing and working hard off the ball had not been Boniface's core strength when he was scoring regularly, but that he has other qualities. The club wants his fitness as high as possible, Rolfes said, so that he can show what he undoubtedly has.
Soccernet says the next signals are whether Boniface features in the Bundesliga squad before the window opens, and whether any club makes an approach.
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