Soccer
Tolu Arokodare of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Picture credit: ImagoxJessica Hornby/Sportimage
Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has officially completed his move to Dutch Eredivisie giants Ajax, becoming the eighth Super Eagles player in the Dutch giants’ history to wear the famous red-and-white shirt, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 25-year-old striker’s future was in the balance since the end of last season. Recall that he was expected to leave Wolves after a disappointing debut year that saw him contribute six goals and two assists.
At first, he was linked to sides like Trabzonspor and Fiorentina. But neither of the transfers worked out.
But last week, Ajax joined the race. And earlier this week, it was confirmed that he would be heading to Amsterdam.
Now, both Wolves and Ajax have officially confirmed that Arokodare is joining on a season-long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers. His contract runs until the summer of 2027, with Ajax holding a non-obligatory option to make the transfer permanent for a fee reported to be in the region of €22 million.
The Eredivisie club will cover Arokodare’s full wages during the loan spell and have also agreed a separate loan fee with Wolves, who could earn further bonus payments if Ajax qualify for European football during his time in Amsterdam.
Arokodare’s arrival brings the curtain down on a difficult year in England, where injuries, limited game time and a reported training-ground disagreement with Wolves’ new manager overshadowed his season. He now heads to Amsterdam looking for a fresh start under newly appointed Ajax boss Míchel.
Soccer Tolu Arokodare’s first words as an Ajax player
Arokodare will wear the number 99 jersey, and speaking after putting pen to paper on his new deal, Arokodare could not hide his excitement at joining the club.
“I’m currently a player of Ajax. Because it’s just an amazing feeling, like I said. I never imagined, but… it’s just an amazing feeling,” the Super Eagles star said.
What it means to sign for a club like Ajax…
— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) July 29, 2026
“There’s been so many big names that have played here, so many big strikers that have played for this team that have really represented the team well, and we know about the amazing and huge talents that they can produce. So, I can’t wait to get started, get going with the team, with the players, hopefully score some goals, win games and get back to being at the top of the table.”
Soccer Arokodare joins elite list of Super Eagles stars to play for Ajax
Tolu Arokodare’s transfer to Ajax continues a Nigerian tradition at Ajax that stretches back three decades.
He follows in the footsteps of Finidi George, Nwankwo Kanu, Christopher Kanu, Sunday Oliseh, Tijani Babangida, Pius Ikedia and Calvin Bassey — all of whom represented the Amsterdam giants before him.
For Super Eagles fans, Arokodare’s move to a club with such a rich Nigerian history adds an extra layer of significance to the switch, even beyond the pull of Ajax’s European pedigree.
For sure, they will get a good number of Nigerian fans and followers over the next season. And they will be hoping that he makes a mark and possibly leads them to their first Eredivisie title since 2022.
Kelvin Omachonu
Kelvin Omachonu is a professional football columnist and sports writer with over half a decade of experience covering major events and delivering captivating, analytically-driven stories.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, he is fueled by a profound dedication to sports journalism and the beautiful game. His insights have previously been featured in respected outlets, including IndyPress UI, UCJ UI Newshive NG, Sportpremi, and a few others.
Away from work, Kelvin is an avid fan of basketball, enjoys a great movie, and is always discovering new music.
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