Nigeria striker Victor Boniface has impressed Werder Bremen manager Steffen Horst ahead of his potential debut when the Green-Whites travel to face Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday.

Horst has praised the 24-year-old’s quick adaptation since his deadline day loan move from Bayer Leverkusen, describing him as a player capable of lifting the team’s level.

“He’s well-received here, I like him, he’s very likeable,” Horst told Deich Stube. “Someone who can play football like that will certainly raise the level. I have great hope that this will become apparent and that we have signed a great player.”

The coach added that Boniface’s movement in training often surprises him, describing some of his touches and runs as “exceptionally good.”


Boniface joined Bremen on loan after a proposed move to AC Milan fell through during the summer due to concerns over his injury history.

The striker, who played a crucial role in Leverkusen’s unbeaten Bundesliga title triumph in 2023/24, was officially unveiled by Bremen last week after completing his medical.

Horst’s glowing remarks suggest he is ready to trust the forward with a starting role, especially given his proven Bundesliga record of 32 goals and 12 assists in his time at Leverkusen.

The manager hinted that Boniface could feature alongside Romano Schmid and Samuel Mbangula as Bremen aim to recover from last weekend’s heavy 4-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Bremen will be without several key players for Sunday’s match, with Niklas Stark suspended and Mitchell Weiser, Maximilian Wöber, Olivier Deman, Julian Malatini and Marco Friedl all ruled out through injury.

The Green-Whites drew 3-3 with Bayer Leverkusen in their previous home match, demonstrating their attacking potential despite defensive frailties that have been exposed early in the campaign.

Boniface dismissed recent speculation about his fitness levels during his unveiling press conference, insisting he was fully prepared for his new challenge.

“Who’s questioning my fitness? If I weren’t fully fit, I’d be in a hospital bed, not sitting here talking to you,” he said. “Whatever the media say, that’s their business. If my body isn’t 100%, I won’t be here talking to you.”

The Nigeria international, who is yet to find the net in 13 appearances for his country, will be eager to use the opportunity as a launchpad for his career after an uncertain summer.

Bremen fans will be hoping he can replicate his Leverkusen form to fire the club higher up the table, with Sunday’s clash at Stadion im Borussia-Park scheduled for 4:30pm Nigerian time.