Victor Boniface has emerged as Chelsea's new target in the wake of the near-impossibility of prising Victor Osimhen out of Napoli’s hands.
The London outfit have wanted Osimhen for many years now. Osimhen himself has made no secret of his admiration for the two-time UEFA Champions League winners thanks to his support of the club while growing up in Lagos.
Boniface, meanwhile, has burst onto the scene to compete with his compatriot for the attention of the world's biggest clubs in England and Spain, including Chelsea, who are reportedly meeting with Boniface’s agent soon.
✅? EXCLUSIVE |||| Antonio Nusa agent is in London specifically to speak to Club's about a January move and is scheduled to meet Edu .
?Victor Boniface is also a target of a number of Club's.
? Antonio Nusa , Victor Boniface & Gift Orban are highly scouted by Premier… pic.twitter.com/c4jnkz3KNS
— Olt Sports (@oltsport_) November 17, 2023
Agent of Victor Boniface to meet Chelsea to discuss transfers
Atta Aneke, a Nigerian-Norwegian FIFA-licenced football agent, represents Boniface.
Aneke has been active in the Nigerian football scene since the early 2000s and is responsible for many big moves from grassroots and the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to Europe.
He is famously associated with Odion Ighalo, Chidera Ejuke and Gift Orban.
He was also behind Boniface's move to Norway before he found prominence playing for Belgian club Royal Union Saint-Gilloise.
Aneke also has a number of international clients, including Antonio Nusa, a Norway international with Nigerian roots.
The 18-year-old striker is a target of many clubs, including Chelsea, who are considering getting the jump on every other interested party by bringing the player in during the January 2024 transfer window.
Chelsea have prioritised signing a centre-forward in the coming windows. They hold an interest in Osimhen, Ivan Toney, among others.
Goalball Live recently reported that Chelsea were prepared to wait for Osimhen instead of signing any other player in January.
However, the interest in Nusa seems to have overridden that mindset which now ruins the Napoli man's chances of playing for his dream club.
Aneke will not only discuss Nusa, however. Boniface is also on the table and with the player's less baggage, big league experience and attainable transfer fee, the club could opt for him instead of Nusa.
Former Belgium coach Marc Wilmots once compared Boniface to Chelsea's on-loan striker Romelu Lukaku.
“Victor Boniface is Victor Boniface. In terms of type, you can perhaps compare him somewhat with Romelu Lukaku,” Wilmots said in a September interview.
“But Lukaku has even more power. If he starts from midfield, you can't hold him. And Romelu is more dangerous, a real goalscorer.
“Boniface still has to prove this class. But he is only 22 years old. He can still get a lot better.”
Former Chelsea striker endorses Victor Boniface and Victor Osimhen for Blues
The Blues are fully convinced about Osimhen but Boniface is still under consideration. However, their discussion with Aneke could seal the deal.
Meanwhile, Daniel Sturridge, who played for Chelsea between 2009 and 2013, has endorsed both players as strikers who would fit Chelsea like a glove.
Sturridge, who is now retired, was asked about players who Chelsea and other English clubs should be going for when he mentioned Boniface and Osimhen.
“Mbappe is the No.1! Victor Osimhen is probably the next one; we’ve seen what he can do, the goals he scores, the pace, the tenacity, and the finishing. I very much like him,” Sturridge said.
“But [Serhou] Guirassy is second in the scoring charts now in Germany behind [Harry] Kane, [Victor] Boniface at Leverkusen, [Maximilian] Beier who is playing in Germany as well.”
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
