There is something going on right now about Nigerian strikers. There are seasoned players like Victor Osimhen who has made a name for himself as one of the best strikers in the world right now. Then there is Gift Orban who is breaking records in the lower tiers of Europe – The Europa Conference League. And now a certain Victor Boniface who is wreaking havoc in both – The Belgian Pro League and the Europa League.
Victor Boniface has scored five goals this season in the Europa League level with Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez and is second behind Marcus Rashford’s six. If he continues to put the ball in the back of the net at this rate, whilst also helping USG reach the latter stages of the competition, the Nigerian will surely attract interest from the big guns. Not to mention that there is a certain league title on the line as well.
The 22-year-old is also eligible to play for the Nigerian national team and will surely get his chance if the goals keep coming for Karel Geraerts‘ men in Union Saint-Gilloise.
How good is Victor Boniface?
Victor Boniface is a 191cm tall Nigerian striker who currently plays in the Belgium First Division for Union Saint-Gilloise. His Youth career traces back to Real Sapphire Football Club of Lagos, owned and sponsored by businessman Frank Peters and famed for grooming and exporting talented players.
On March 4, 2019, Norwegian club Bodo/Glimit signed Victor Boniface from Real Sapphire FC. That investment looked like a hit until Boniface suffered a ligament injury two weeks after signing for the club. That injury kept him out for the season. In September 2019, Boniface finally made his Bodo/Glimit debut. The Nigerian forward won the 2020 and 2021 Norwegian Elliterensen title before moving to Belgium In August 2022.
On August 22, 2022, Victor Boniface joined Royal Union Saint-Gilloise on a four-year contract and has been instrumental in the club’s title run and going neck-to-neck with Genk.
Haaland is truly a machine as he keeps breaking records with every game 🤖#Haaland #MCFC #PremierLeague pic.twitter.com/rXK8SSh7rc
— FootTheBall FC (@FootTheBallFC) April 12, 2023
Victor Boniface stats
Boniface also only makes 1.37 progressive runs per 90, which means he does not run at players with the ball at his feet often. This can be illustrated by his success rate when he dribbles, which is a relatively low 47%.
He averages 17.79 passes per 90 minutes, which is not good when compared with elite strikers. Another passing statistic that could use some improvement is the number of through passes that he attempts. A couple of examples showed the types of through passes he is capable of, but with only 1.24 through passes attempted per 90 and a success rate of 28.9%, improvement is needed.
Victor Boniface scout report
The Norwegian club normally operated out of a 4-3-3 system, with Boniface being the central striker. The Nigerian is very much a penalty box poacher, with most of his activity coming in the central areas of the 18-yard box as well as just outside of it. Boniface is not a striker that will drift wide often, or generally not at all.
The outstanding physical trait of Boniface is undoubtedly his height, with the Nigerian striker standing at 6’4” tall, along with top-level strength to hold off opposition defenders in tight spaces in the penalty box. Boniface is a target man inside the box but has fox-in-the-box tendencies as well
Victor Boniface transfer news
Lazio, Napoli and Milan are interested in signing Nigerian striker Victor Boniface according to multiple reports. Boniface has scored 19 goals in 43 games this season with Belgian side Union Saint Gilloise, with five of those goals coming in the Europa League.
It has been reported that AC Milan are looking for a new striker as it’s possible that next summer they could be selling both Ante Rebic and Divock Origi. Boniface has been monitored by Napoli too as a possible replacement for Victor Osimhen.
The club’s scouts have been sent at different times to follow him during this season and their reports have always been outstanding. Another team looking after Boniface is Lazio as the Biancocelesti are constantly seeking a backup for Ciro Immobile.
Regardless of all these interests coming from Serie A clubs, Boniface isn’t likely to leave Belgium at the end of the season with Union Saint Gilloise who have currently set €10 million as his price tag.
Still not capped at senior international level, there is every chance that if Victor Boniface proves himself in Belgium, he will eventually get a senior international call-up for Nigeria. Boniface is not the finished product yet, but he has a very high ceiling to continue growing and developing.