Turkish giants Besiktas are at the front of the queue for Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare, with Wolves’ impending relegation set to trigger a summer scramble for the 25-year-old Nigerian forward.
Super Eagles forward Tolu Arokodare looks set to leave Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer, and Besiktas have emerged as the leading candidates to sign him. The Turkish Super Lig club, who reportedly plan to use existing Nigerian and South Korean connections within their squad as a selling point, are the clearest frontrunners in what could become a competitive chase for the 25-year-old’s signature.
Arokodare only joined Wolves from KRC Genk last summer in a deal worth €26 million. His debut Premier League season has not gone to plan, not through any significant failing of his own, but because Wolves have been the worst team in the top flight. They sit on just 17 points from 31 games, with relegation to the Championship looking inevitable. For Super Eagles fans following Arokodare’s situation and wanting to back him in the Turkish league next season, the YOHAIG promo code is worth checking before you register with Bet9ja.
Why Besiktas Have the Edge
The Black Eagles’ pitch to Arokodare goes beyond money. Turkish outlet Besiktas Yetiyor reports that the Istanbul club already have South Korean attacker Oh Hyeon-gyu on their books, the same player who formed a potent partnership with Arokodare at Genk. The plan is straightforward: recreate a proven partnership and surround it with the added comfort of Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi, who is also part of the Besiktas squad. There are few better ways to settle a new signing than placing him alongside players he already knows and trusts. New Bet9ja users can check the YOHAIG welcome offer before the summer window opens.
Fenerbahce are also tracking the striker’s situation, according to reports, which suggests the Turkish market is serious about landing him. The presence of multiple Super Lig clubs in the frame gives Wolves some transfer leverage, even as they prepare to lose their top-flight status.
The Price Question
The financial side of any deal remains the main obstacle. Arokodare is valued at around €22 million on Transfermarkt, and most Turkish clubs operate on tighter budgets than Premier League sides. The route around that could be a loan, giving Besiktas access to the player’s quality while avoiding the full transfer fee. Arokodare’s contract at Wolves runs to June 2029, so the Midlands club hold all the cards on his long-term future, even if they cannot prevent him from leaving on loan or through a forced sale due to their financial situation post-relegation.
The Nigerian striker has managed six goals and two assists in 32 appearances across all competitions for Wolves this season. Three of those goals came in the Premier League from 28 starts, a return that flatters neither the player nor a team that has struggled to create chances consistently. In a more functional attacking system, and playing alongside a strike partner he knows well, those numbers would almost certainly look very different. With top-flight clubs already targeting Wolves’ best assets, the coming months will determine where Arokodare plays his football next season. Nigerian supporters can follow his journey and those of fellow Eagles abroad at FootballInNigeria.com.ng, where the Nigeria’s top Bet9ja code is available for fans ready to stake on European football next term.
📌 Did You Know?
- Oh Hyeon-gyu, who played alongside Arokodare at Genk, is the first South Korean player to have featured for Besiktas in the Turkish Super Lig era.
- Wolves’ 17-point return from 31 games in 2025/26 is on course to be one of the lowest points tallies for a Premier League season in the last decade.
- Arokodare’s €26 million move to Wolves last summer was one of the biggest transfer fees ever paid for a Nigerian player in a single window.
- Besiktas play their home games at the Vodafone Park stadium, a 41,000-capacity purpose-built ground opened in 2016 on the site of their historic Inonu Stadium in Istanbul.
- Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi made his European professional debut in the Belgian Pro League, the same competition where Arokodare established himself at Genk.
- Arokodare was born in Lagos and came through the Nigerian youth football system before moving to Belgium as a teenager to develop at Genk’s academy.
- The Turkish Super Lig has become an increasingly popular destination for Nigerian footballers in recent years, with players like Ndidi, Paul Onuachu, and Odion Ighalo all having played in Turkey.
