Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface is close to joining AC Milan from Bayer Leverkusen on a season-long loan, but the transfer has hit late complications.
The 23-year-old Nigerian arrived in Milan on Friday, with the club even preparing his new shirt. Boniface is expected to wear the famous No.22 jersey, previously used by Brazilian legend Kaka, according to Italian journalist Louis Girardi.
Milan had agreed a €5m loan deal with an option to buy for around €30m, and Boniface had already settled personal terms. However, his medicals have slowed the move.
After initial tests at the Centro Ambrosiano, the striker was sent for further checks at the Galeazzi Orthopaedic Institute. Milan doctors want a final verdict on his fitness because of his injury history, which includes two knee ligament surgeries and recurring groin problems.
Nigerian journalist Buchi Laba reported that Boniface passed three rounds of medical tests, but Fabrizio Romano said Milan still awaited confirmation from their orthopaedic experts. Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri warned that the latest scans may have put the deal “at real risk” of collapsing.
Boniface had been identified as a key addition to strengthen Milan’s attack, and the No.22 shirt already prepared for him highlights how highly he is rated.
Milan are expected to make a final decision after their Serie A game against Cremonese. If doctors advise against the transfer, Boniface will return to Bayer Leverkusen to continue his career in Germany.