Victor Boniface stays put at Leverkusen as Al Nassr switch to Jhon Duran

Initial reports suggested a deal had been struck for Boniface to move to Al Nassr for between 60 and 70 million euros. However, as per recent X updates, the deal never received Al Nassr's final approval, leaving Boniface at Bayer Leverkusen.

Bayer's sporting managing director, Simon Rolfes, confirmed post-match after a 2-0 Champions League victory over Sparta Prague, "He is still a Bayer player. There have been talks. That's why he didn't train yesterday, so there wouldn't be any unrest before today's big game.

"But we haven't received an offer that would make us decide to let him go."

The absence of a formal written offer from Al Nassr was a key factor, as they were simultaneously negotiating with Aston Villa for Duran.

Rolfes further emphasized Boniface's importance to the team, stating, "He is an important player from a sporting point of view. Of course, economic considerations can also play a role when it comes to certain sums of money. But we're very happy that Boni will be training with us tomorrow.

"I assume he will stay. The likelihood of that is very high." Boniface remains under contract with Leverkusen until 2028.

Meanwhile, contract negotiations with another Leverkusen star, Florian Wirtz, are progressing but hinge on the agreement over a release clause.

Sport Bild reports that while discussions for a contract extension to 2028 are advanced, the clubs are far apart on the release clause amount. Wirtz's camp is pushing for a 100 million euro clause, while Bayer Leverkusen's CEO Fernando Carro has previously stated he wouldn't let Wirtz go for less than 150 million euros.

A compromise around 125 million euros, effective from the summer of 2026, seems likely. Wirtz has contributed significantly this season with 14 goals and 11 assists in 30 matches across all competitions.

This turn of events keeps Boniface at Leverkusen, potentially strengthening their squad for the remainder of the season, while Wirtz's future remains a hot topic in the transfer market.

READ MORE: Vincent Kompany: Bayern Munich must switch gears in Champions League