'He was too everywhere' – Bremen coach criticises club's most valuable player in history Boniface

Werder Bremen head coach Horst Steffen has voiced concerns over the club's most valuable player in history, Victor Boniface following the striker's first home appearance in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to SC Freiburg at the Weserstadion.

Valued at €40 million, Boniface is Werder Bremen's most valuable player since Transfermarkt began recording figures in 2004, surpassing Milot Rashica’s peak valuation of €35 million in December 2019.

The 24-year-old Nigerian forward, who joined Werder on a last-minute loan move from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, entered the match after the hour mark with his team already trailing 2-0. 

Despite his introduction, Bremen failed to find a way back, conceding their tenth goal of the Bundesliga season and slipping to 14th place in the table.

Steffen admitted disappointment with his side’s display, particularly their lack of defensive discipline and energy in the closing stages. 

He also singled out Boniface for drifting too much across the pitch. 

"I felt he was too 'everywhere'. It’s fine for him to be more central. It wasn’t the way I wanted it,” Steffen was quoted as saying by Transfermarkt.

"It wasn’t just him, but a lot of players weren’t staying in their spaces. We have to be positionally consistent so that we can overload the attack every now and then. That’s an issue I’ll address."

Boniface has so far played just 45 minutes across two appearances for Bremen, with Steffen emphasizing patience as the team adapts.

Despite the criticism, Werder’s management has expressed confidence in the Nigerian’s potential, with managing director Clemens Fritz recently revealing details of the transfer and describing Boniface as a key figure in the club’s plans to stabilize their attack this season.

Wale Adejumo

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