Victor Boniface has disclosed that former Bayer Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong advised him not to sign for the German club ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Frimpong, who left Leverkusen for Liverpool in May 2025, warned the Nigerian striker against making the move after the club’s disappointing 2022/23 campaign, which saw them finish sixth in the Bundesliga.
In the same season, they exited the Champions League at the group stage, and crashed out of the DFB-Pokal in the first round.
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Despite the caution, Boniface joined Leverkusen and went on to play a key role in a historic season.
He won the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year award as the club secured a domestic double and set a European record of 51 consecutive matches unbeaten.
Frimpong also featured prominently, making 47 appearances across all competitions.
Speaking on the Culture League podcast, Boniface revealed: “Before coming to Leverkusen, I called Jeremie. I said, ‘Bro, I have this offer to come to Leverkusen.’ Do you know what he told me?
“He said, ‘It’s good for you not to come, we are a rubbish team.’ They had a bad season before.”
Boniface said he later shared the warning with teammates in front of the coach, adding that the remark became a light-hearted talking point during team meetings.
The 23-year-old, who is yet to feature this season due to fitness concerns, was omitted from Nigeria’s final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa, despite being named in the provisional list
