Personal terms agreed: Arsenal set to confirm the signing of £40m striker,player representative were in London yesterday to reach verbal agreement with Arsenal – deal imminent
Arsenal have now gone three games without a win, with the 2-1 defeat to Fulham being their latest setback.
Mikel Arteta’s side are now fourth in the Premier League after 20 matches, five points behind Liverpool in first.
Therefore, the boss will look to add a new attacker to his side in an attempt to bolster the Gunners’ output in front of goal.
Arsenal transfers latest – Victor Boniface
According to the Mirror, reports in Spain have stated that Arsenal have found their Ivan Toney alternative in Victor Boniface, who has been labelled as a “physical monster” by Sport.de.
The Nigerian is rumoured to be worth £52m – as per CIES Football Observatory – which may make the deal unlikely this winter.
Furthermore, Bayer Leverkusen will want to keep the striker as they look to beat Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title, although Arsenal’s own title ambitions may well see a bid being lodged.
Boniface’s style of play
Arteta’s biggest problem this season has been finding a way to get his centre forwards to score goals. Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus have both failed to impress, scoring five and three, respectively, in the league, and therefore links to strikers have been flying around.
Toney has been linked to the Gunners continuously over the last year, but Boniface could prove to be a cheaper and arguably better alternative.
With that in mind, let’s address Boniface’s statistics from the last year across the top European leagues.
Firstly, they are both incredible goal-scorers who know how to find the back of the net with ease. However, the Leverkusen star’s output this season has been beyond insane. The 23-year-old has netted 16 goals and registered eight assists in just 23 matches, completely outscoring Arsenal star Bukayo Saka who has scored nine overall this season. The Nigerian’s movement is elite, and he has the pace to cause havoc in behind defences.
Boniface is a striker who can literally do anything on the pitch. His tall 6 foot 3 frame allows him to play as a target man striker, as shown by his ability to receive progressive passes, linking up play to devastating effect. However, the ex-Royale Union Saint-Gilloise forward is also incredible with the ball at his feet, gliding past defenders with his speed and explosiveness, which is not usual for someone of his stature.
Xabi Alonso’s main man is a handful in every game state and can thrive no matter the opponent’s playstyle. This would be an undervalued yet vital attribute that could enhance Arsenal, as having a player that can operate against a low block, a high line, and on the break is scary.
Despite Toney scoring 20 goals in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign, Boniface’s statistics are simply a level above, and he has shown that he can offer everything that the Brentford man can and more. The youngster’s never-ending ability would make him the final piece of the Arsenal puzzle.
Considering he is in the form of his life and not incredibly overpriced, Arteta must make a move for the Leverkusen ace in January, as all the European giants will be looking to acquire him in the summer. It isn’t often that a £52m-rated relatively inexperienced player can be classified as a bargain!
