Tijani Babangida: Ex-Ajax star speaks on Boniface’s move to join Ronaldo at Al Nassr
Victor Boniface (photo credit: Imago)
Former Super Eagles winger Tijani Babangida has weighed in on Victor Boniface’s potential move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
The Bayer Leverkusen forward has recently been linked with a move to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, following the departure of Brazilian forward Anderson Talisca to Fenerbahçe.
This move has taken center stage in the Nigerian football community, with former Ajax advising the young striker to exercise patience before making such a switch.
In an exclusive interview with Africafoot, the 51-year-old former Ajax star expressed his belief that Boniface still has several years to thrive at the highest level in European football.
“Listen, this is not a criticism of Victor (Boniface) because he is such a talented boy who is able to make personal decisions. But I think it happened a little too early,” Babangida said.
He further explained his stance on Boniface’s potential to play for top European clubs before considering a move to Saudi Arabia.
He added: “Given his immense talent, for me, he still had more than seven years at the highest level in the best European clubs. Al Nassr is a big club, but I still think he is too young to play in Saudi Arabia. I think this will have an impact on his legacy.”
Despite his reservations, Babangida wished the 2023-24 Bundesliga Rookie of the Year winner success if he ultimately makes the move from Bay Arena to Saudi Arabia.
“Don’t get me wrong, now that he’s leaving, I hope he will succeed there. But for me, he still had work at the highest level in Europe. A little patience would have allowed him to get an even larger contract with an even more expensive check because he is very talented, but I wish him only the best.”
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, negotiations are still ongoing between Leverkusen and Al Nassr, although there has been a recent twist to the deal, with the Saudi clubs considering other options before the January window ends.
With the Saudi club offering lucrative contracts, Boniface has not ruled out the possibility of making the move, and the Nigerian football faithfuls await Al Nassr’s next transfer decisions.
