Nigeria striker Victor Boniface has revealed that former Bayer Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong advised him against joining the German club ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Frimpong, who left Leverkusen for Liverpool in May 2025, warned the Nigerian against making the move after the club’s disappointing 2022/23 campaign, which saw them finish sixth in the Bundesliga.
In the same season, Leverkusen exited the Champions League at the group stage and crashed out of the DFB-Pokal in the first round.
Despite the caution, Boniface joined Leverkusen and went on to play a key role in a historic season, winning the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year award as the club secured a domestic double and set a European record of 51 consecutive matches unbeaten.
Speaking on the Culture League podcast, Boniface revealed the conversation he had with the Dutch defender.
“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?” Boniface said.
“He said, ‘It’s good for you not to come, we are a rubbish team.’ They had a bad season before.”
The 23-year-old added that he later shared the warning with teammates in front of the coach, with the remark becoming a light-hearted talking point during team meetings.
Frimpong also featured prominently in Leverkusen’s remarkable campaign, making 47 appearances across all competitions as the club transformed from underachievers to history-makers.
Boniface, 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 matches in September despite being named in the provisional list.
The striker has scored 32 goals and provided 12 assists since joining Leverkusen from Union Saint-Gilloise in 2023, establishing himself as one of the Bundesliga’s most promising talents.
