Romano states Leverkusen want ‘significant fee’ for Boniface as Milan loom: “Not simple”

Victor Boniface has emerged as one of the options for AC Milan this summer. However, Bayer Leverkusen have upped his price tag.

There is a need for Milan to purchase a new forward this summer. Massimiliano Allegri hopes for one, whilst the numbers at the top end need to be improved. This is meant in a literal and footballing way – one striker is enough, neither is the output from Santiago Gimenez.

The Mexican striker stated that he is not going anywhere, so he has certainly laid down the gauntlet for any new arrival. However, the Rossoneri will not let the commments deter them from another signing, nor should they.

Significant but not impossible

Boniface is one of the options leading the Diavolo’s shortlist, and he has already given his ‘openness’ to a move to Milan. However, it is not as simple as that, as we have seen with the Ardon Jashari saga. Today, Fabrizio Romano spoke on his YouTube channel about the situation, as MilanNews relay.

“There’s no doubt that Victor Boniface is on AC Milan’s list as one of their attacking options, a player AC Milan really likes.

“The unfortunate thing about this situation is that between March and April, Boniface was considered a player on the way out by Bayer Leverkusen, who had practically sold him to Al Nassr at the end of January, who then cancelled the deal to sign Duran. But it was really done, Boniface had even passed his medical for Al Nassr.

“Boniface was considered an outgoing player for a long time, but then what happened? Erik ten Hag arrived and expressed his intention to play with two strikers and to believe not only in Schick but also in Boniface: this changed the assessments.

“While he was a player on the way out up to a certain point, late April-early May of this year, with the arrival of ten Hag, Boniface’s importance changed,” the journalist states.

“For this reason, Leverkusen is currently asking for a minimum fee of between €40 and €45 million. A significant sum, given ten Hag’s desire to keep him, not push him out of the club. This is why the costs of this deal are not simple.

“However, compared to other options, such as Nicolas Jackson, who would cost a lot, we can cross him out because the costs are extremely high, and for Milan, as for any other Italian club, a €70, €80, or €90 million deal is almost unthinkable today.

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“Unlike Jackson, for Boniface, the fee Leverkusen is asking for is significant, but it’s not a sealed and closed door. We’ll wait and see how this option can advance, or whether Milan will choose to pursue another striker.”