Super Eagles and Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface has expressed his confidence in winning the prestigious African Player of the Year award, believing he stands ahead of fellow Nigerian star Ademola Lookman, MySportDab Reports.
In an interview with SportyTV, the 23-year-old striker shared his ambitions after an exceptional debut season in German football.
Boniface scored 21 goals and provided 10 assists across all competitions, playing a crucial role in Leverkusen’s triumphant campaign that saw them claim both the Bundesliga title and the DFB Pokal.
Despite his stellar domestic form, Boniface endured a setback in the UEFA Europa League final, where his team fell short.
Meanwhile, Ademola Lookman stole the show with a stunning hat-trick for Atalanta, leading his team to victory and earning himself a Ballon d’Or nomination.
Acknowledging Lookman’s achievements, Boniface remains confident in his chances of being crowned Africa’s best player. “It’s probably between me and Lookman,” Boniface stated. “I’ll go for myself as the African Footballer of the Year; I rate myself that high. If we’re looking at what we did last season, I’ll pick myself.”
Aside from his personal ambitions, Boniface also provided insights into Victor Osimhen’s potential transfer to the English Premier League. Amid ongoing speculation linking the Napoli striker to Chelsea, Boniface revealed that Osimhen is eager to play in England. “Osimhen’s mentality is strong. He really wants to come to the Premier League,” Boniface shared.
Additionally, Boniface dismissed the rumours surrounding Osimhen’s potential move to Saudi Arabia, pointing out that transfer negotiations are more complex than many realize. “There’s stuff that happened that nobody knows, but people just talk online. There are details people don’t understand. Like I said before, I’m not thinking of Saudi Arabia,” he said.
With four goals and one assist in six appearances this season, Boniface continues to display his excellent form for Bayer Leverkusen.
As he pushes for success with his club, the Nigerian striker remains focused on securing individual accolades and cementing his place among Africa’s footballing elite.