Werder Bremen have confirmed that striker Victor Boniface will travel to Austria for an examination by a knee specialist, with a potential operation on the horizon, effectively ending his playing season for the club.
The 25-year-old, who is on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, was absent from Friday’s first-team training session, with the club announcing the reason an hour before the squad arrived.
The German club stated that Boniface is “suffering from a knee injury that prevents him from participating in team training.”
According to DeichStube, Werder Bremen’s Head of Professional Football, Peter Niemeyer, stated that Boniface is scheduled to visit a knee specialist, Prof. Dr. Christian Fink, in Innsbruck on Thursday for an assessment to determine whether surgery will be necessary.
“Peter Niemeyer, Victor will travel to Innsbruck on January 8 to see knee specialist Prof. Dr. Christian Fink, in order to undergo an examination regarding a potential operation,” DeichStube reported.
The club did not provide further details about Boniface’s sporting future.
Speaking to the media after training, Niemeyer added, “We want to wait for the examination first. The further plan will follow from that. We ask for a little patience.”
According to Bild, Boniface will not feature for Werder Bremen again this season if he agrees to surgery, as he will be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign while his knee injury will continue to prevent him from playing should he opt against an operation.
Both Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen’s medical teams have reportedly coordinated and strongly recommended the procedure, with Boniface intending to seek a third medical opinion before making a final decision.
A surgical procedure had already been considered in the summer to address cartilage damage in his knee, but Boniface declined at the time.
DeichStube added that Bremen accepted the risk in taking him on loan, hoping he would remain fit and available for matches, but the plan has ultimately failed with his knee issues worsening in recent weeks, prompting a sober assessment from Niemeyer.
“We saw it as an opportunity in the summer, and with any opportunity, there is always risk,” Niemeyer said as quoted by DeichStube.
“In the end, we have to say that we all expected more from this loan. Unfortunately, it didn’t go as we had hoped,” Head coach Horst Steffen also said, according to DeichStube.
“We cannot change the situation; we have to deal with it and make the best of it.”
Although the loan agreement with Bayer Leverkusen runs until 30 June, it is widely expected that both clubs will seek an early solution, with Boniface likely to leave Werder Bremen before the summer.