Boniface reveals his love for Arsenal and calls fellow Gunners target Osimhen a 'brother'

One of Europe's most promising young strikers has revealed that he is a lifelong Arsenal fan and lumped praise on Napoli star Victor Osimhen who has also been linked with the London club.

The Gunners have fallen off the pace of Liverpool in the Premier League title race, dropping to fourth in the table with a five-point gap separating both sides.

Mikel Arteta's side have not been clinical enough in front of goal this season, having scored only 37 goals. For perspective, Liverpool and Aston Villa in first and second have scored 43 while Man City, in third have scored 45.

As the Gunners are on the hunt for a new striker, Bayer leLeverkusen'sromising young star has revealed that he has been a lifelong fan of the north London club on John Obi Mikel's The Obi One Podcast.

The 23-year-old is widely regarded as one of the most promising forwards in European football, having scored 16 goals in 23 appearances across all competitions for the German side so far this season.

High-flying Leverkusen are unbeaten this season in the German top flight, with Granit Xhaka having joined the club from Arsenal in the summer.

And before lauding the impact that the ex-Gunners midfielder has had on the side, Boniface unveiled: 'For me, right from a young age I've supported Arsenal all my life.'

He added on the Swiss midfielder: 'He has experience, maturity and he's a top professional.'

Xhaka played for the club between 2016 and 2023, amassing 297 appearances for the Premier League club while also captaining the side on numerous occasions.

 

He went on to leave the club last summer, moving to Bayer Leverkusen, where he would meet up with the 23-year-old striker.

'We have a young squad but with Granit, it feels like we've been playing for a long time because he talks to us and tries to help us,' he added. 

Ex-Chelsea star Mikel added that he too had been a fan of the Gunners when he was growing up with the Nigerian claiming: 'I grew up supporting Arsenal because of one person, Nwankwo Kanu.'

'I loved watching Arsenal because of Kanu. It's that thing that where a Nigerian player plays, you tend to support your own. Now when you watch the kids coming up, everybody, because of me, Victor Moses, everybody has moved to Chelsea.'

On Monday, it was reported that Boniface would be withdrawing from this month’s Africa Cup of Nations after being called up to the competition by Nigeria.

The forward had suffered a groin injury in training that has ruled him out of the competition, with Boniface writing on Instagram: ''Good luck guys. Wish you guys all the best at afcon @ng_supereagles.'

Boniface has earned four caps for Nigeria, but his absence at Afcon will be a huge blow for the Super Eagles.

Despite that, Nigeria's front line will be led by Arsenal target Osimhen. Arteta's side has been linked with Osimhen for some time, now and were dealt a blow in their bid to sign the £112m-rated striker after it was reported that he had 'signed a new deal to stay at the Serie A side until 2026'.

Even so, Boniface spoke out on the relationship he has with Osimhen, claiming the forward, who has eight goals in 18 games across all competitions this season, is 'like a brother' to him.

'We are good friends and we speak regularly with each other,' Boniface told The Obi One Podcast.

'I respect Victor a lot and I see him as a brother, he's a top guy. It all depends on the coach. The fans keep saying that hopefully, Nigeria will play Victor and Boniface, but we just want to represent our country. When it's a great country like Nigeria, you have to fight for the country, that's the most important thing.

'Victor doesn't mind who he plays with and I don't mind who I play with. I just want to help my team, the same as Victor. But if we can play together, it will be great for us.'

Leverkusen, meanwhile, have climbed their way to the top of the Bundesliga table this season, with Xabi Alonso's side dazzling in the competition so far this season. And Boniface lauded the Spanish manager, saying: 'What a great coach.'

'Everybody knew him as a great player, he [Alonso] was fantastic and won everything in football. He's helped me a lot and tried to advise me.

'He gave me the example of (Didier) Drogba, saying he was big and strong, and he wants the same from me.'

Alonso joined the football club back in October 2022, having previously held the manager's position at Real Sociedad. 

Boniface added: 'He was trying to put that type of mentality in my head because I'm the type of guy who just wants to have a good game. Even if I'm not scoring, it doesn't matter as long as we are winning. But he wants to try and change that mentality, for me to become a fighter. He's a top, top coach.