Werder Bremen director regrets Boniface loan deal, calls it ‘mistake’

Werder Bremen said they made a ‘mistake’ in their recruitment, with sporting director Clemens Fritz admitting that the signing of Victor Boniface has not yielded positive results.

The Nigerian forward joined on loan with high expectations but has endured a difficult spell, largely due to fitness concerns that have limited his impact.

Injuries derail attacking plans

Boniface was brought in to add physicality and quality to Bremen’s attack, but recurring fitness issues have disrupted those plans.

The striker has struggled to reach full match sharpness, making just 11 Bundesliga appearances, mostly from the bench, without scoring and contributing two assists.

His limited availability has left the team without the attacking presence they had planned for, exposing gaps in the club’s forward options.

Club admits misjudgment

Fritz admitted the club’s strategy has not produced the intended results.

“We said we wanted to be bold. We wanted to rely on young players. And certainly not everything went according to plan. We can’t absolve ourselves of making mistakes,” he said.

“On the one hand, we wanted to develop Keke, and on the other hand, we also wanted to acquire the quality that Victor undoubtedly possesses. As things stand now, we have to say that it hasn’t worked out in that form.

“We wanted to take a manageable financial risk and have the courage to see the opportunity.”

The comment comes amid a broader issue in Bremen’s squad planning, where ambition has not translated into on-field output.

Boniface is unlikely to play a major role for the remainder of the season, and a move for an extension is doubtful. .