Arsenal can sign striker BETTER than Sesko as Romano confirms transfer plan

Tom Weber

• Updated: 6 Jun 2025 19:57 BST
• 5 min read

Analysis

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Bayer Leverkusen and striker Victor Boniface could go their separate ways this summer.

The Nigerian striker has endured a bit of a fall from grace over the past 12 months. A hugely exciting and reliable attacker on his day, Boniface's main shortcoming has been his fitness.

The 24-year-old had two ACL injuries prior to his move to Bayer Leverkusen, and in both of his seasons in Germany, he has had to deal with long-term issues.

Current ETV

Victor Okoh Boniface

F (C)

Bayer 04

Victor Okoh Boniface

F (C)

Bayer 04

€43.1M

ETV Range

€38.8M - €47.5M

View full profile

Had it not been for an injury suffered on international duty, Boniface likely would have given Harry Kane a good run for his money in the Bundesliga Golden Boot race in Leverkusen's double-winning 2023/24 campaign. Due to his problems, he lost his place under Xabi Alonso in the bygone season.

Additionally, he made negative headlines on and off the pitch. Just a few weeks after getting into a car crash, he was spotted on his phone while driving above the speed limit. In the spring, he got into a heated clash with teammate Emi Buendi during a game.

Boniface to... Arsenal?

Due to the above, Leverkusen were already open to selling Boniface in January. The Nigerian was close to a lucrative move to Al-Nassr, but the deal collapsed when the Saudi side opted to sign Jhon Duran from Aston Villa instead.

This summer, there is an expectation that Boniface will leave Leverkusen, and this has now been confirmed by Fabrizio Romano. He reports that the Bundesliga side won't stand in his way if a good offers come in.

Boniface has scored 32 goals and 12 assists in 61 outings for Leverkusen, so there is clearly a lot to work with there. Indeed, data analytics firm SciSports rates the 24-year-old very highly.

Looking at SciSports' Career Advice tool, we can see that Boniface would make a great fit for several European heavyweights. Despite the presence of Kane at Bayern, they are deemed his best-suited club with a rating of 87.

Premier League sides Newcastle and Aston Villa, too, would suit Boniface. Additionally, and this is particularly interesting, so would Arsenal, boasting a good Club Fit score of 80.

What makes this even more intriguing is the fact that SciSports believe that Boniface actually has a higher ceiling than RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko, who appears to be Arsenal's favoured option for the striker position.

Boniface clocks in with a potential of 124.9 to Sesko's 122.8. In terms of playing style, the Nigerian is more of a dribbler than the Slovenian, but both are physical and lightning-quick strikers who are also excellent with the ball at their feet.

The Leverkusen man would likely also be significantly cheaper than Sesko, who has a release clause that exceeds the €80 million mark. Boniface currently has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €43.1m.

Despite his injury problems, there would be a lot to like about a potential transfer to Arsenal.

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