FC Koln coach: I would have signed Victor Boniface over Harry Kane

FC Koln boss Steffen Baumgart has told Sport Bild he would have signed Nigeria’s Victor Boniface over Harry Kane were he in charge at Bayern Munich after the new Bayer Leverkussen forward was voted Bundesliga player and rookie of the month of August.

Boniface has been a revelation since he moved from Belgian side, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise to German Bundesliga side, Leverkusen this summer.

The Nigerian has scored five goals and provided one assist in four appearances. His four goals in three Bundesliga games have propelled Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga table.

He registered more shots than any other Bundesliga player in August – 14. On only the second matchday alone, against Borussia Mönchengladbach, he fired off 11 attempts on Jonas Omlin’s goal, as many as Harry Kane managed across Matchdays 1 and 2.

Boniface’s sheer hard work has left a great impression too: his 54 challenges contested are the highest in the Bundesliga, while his fierce pressing has helped him win 43 percent of them.

The striker’s performances also won him the Rookie of the Month award, meaning he is the first player since Erling Haaland in 2020 to be named Player and Rookie of the same month.

With Bayern Munich and Kane hosting Leverkusen and Boniface in a top of the table clash at the Allianz Arena Friday evening, FC Koln believes the Nigerian would have been the better choice for the Bavarians.

Meanwhile, Germany and Bayern legend Lothar Matthäus does not see any difference between the two forwards.

‘We’ll see plenty of goals from him this term – I can even see him competing with Kane for the top scorer crown’, he said.