Coming off the bench to set up a goal in a winning Eredivisie debut, Tolu Arokodare says he’s simply focused on scoring and helping Ajax win, whatever role he’s asked to play.
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Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has said he is focused on scoring goals and helping new club Ajax win matches after making an impressive start to life in Amsterdam.
Arokodare made an immediate impact in Ajax’s opening fixture of the season against PEC Zwolle, coming off the bench in the 73rd minute and setting up a goal as Ajax won 2-0. Speaking to Ziggo Sport afterwards, he said he enjoyed getting his first official minutes and was pleased to contribute an assist, adding that the team hadn’t started the game perfectly but finished it exactly how they wanted to, with a win and two goals.
Comfortable With Whatever Role Is Asked Of Him
Arokodare said he was unbothered by being left out of the starting line up, acknowledging that every player wants to start but that tactical or physical considerations sometimes take priority over individual preference. He said he was ready to fulfil whatever role Ajax needed from him across the season, whether that meant coming off the bench or starting matches, with his only real focus being to score goals and win games.
The 25 year old also credited Ajax technical director Jordi Cruijff with playing a key role in convincing him to join the club, saying Cruijff had outlined his vision for rebuilding the team and that, despite a difficult run of recent seasons, Ajax remains the biggest club in the Netherlands. Arokodare said he was ready to chase the club’s ambitions of returning to winning trophies.
A Fresh Start After A Difficult Season
Arokodare joined Ajax on a season long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers in late July, with Ajax paying a loan fee and covering his full wages, plus an option to make the move permanent for around €22 million next summer. The switch follows a difficult debut season in the Premier League, where he managed only six goals in 38 appearances across all competitions as Wolves were relegated, a campaign that also ended with a reported training-ground disagreement with the club’s new manager. Ajax moved for Arokodare after previous interest from Fiorentina cooled, seeing off competition from Genoa and Trabzonspor to complete the deal.
📌 Did You Know?
- Arokodare has now played professionally in six different countries: Latvia, Germany, France, Belgium, England and now the Netherlands.
- He finished as the Belgian Pro League’s top scorer in 2024/25 while at Genk, netting 21 goals and winning the Ebony Shoe, an award for the league’s best African player.
- Ajax handed Arokodare the number 99 shirt, and he becomes the eighth Nigerian to play for the Amsterdam club, following names like Nwankwo Kanu and Finidi George.
- His move to Genk in January 2023 came as the club looked for a successor to fellow Nigerian striker Paul Onuachu.
- Standing at 1.97 metres (6ft 6in), Arokodare has built his reputation on aerial ability, hold-up play and penalty-box finishing.
- Wolves signed him from Genk for £24 million in September 2025, but he managed just three Premier League goals in 33 appearances before their relegation.
- As part of the Ajax deal, Wolves stand to receive an additional £500,000 if Ajax qualify for European competition while Arokodare remains at the club.
