{"id":928564,"date":"2026-08-21T07:16:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T12:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/21\/tolu-arokodare-makes-bold-ajax-claim-targets-champions-league-return\/"},"modified":"2026-08-21T07:16:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T12:16:18","slug":"tolu-arokodare-makes-bold-ajax-claim-targets-champions-league-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/21\/tolu-arokodare-makes-bold-ajax-claim-targets-champions-league-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Tolu Arokodare makes bold Ajax claim, targets Champions League return"},"content":{"rendered":"

Soccer <\/p>\n

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\"Soccer<\/p>\n

Tolu Arokodare. Copyright: xDennisxGoodwinxImago<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has declared Ajax the biggest club in the Netherlands and insisted the Dutch giants belong in the UEFA Champions League, Soccernet.ng<\/a> reports.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Nigerian forward made the bold statement while discussing Ajax’s ambitions for the 2026-27 season, despite the Amsterdam club currently competing in the UEFA Conference League play-offs.<\/p>\n

Arokodare joined Ajax on a season-long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer after an impressive spell in Belgium and has already made a positive start to life in Amsterdam, although he has yet to start a game for the Dutch giants.<\/p>\n

\"Soccer
AFC Ajax Amsterdam coach Michel Sanchez and forward Tolu Arokodare. Photo by DeFodi Images\/Imago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Get Our Sports News First \u2013<\/strong> Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The 25-year-old believes the club’s recent struggles have not changed its status as Dutch football’s biggest institution.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAjax is of course the biggest club in the Dutch league,\u201d Arokodare told ESPN Netherlands<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cWe know that as a team, as players, as football fans. Everyone knows that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Soccer Arokodare wants Ajax back where they belong<\/h2>\n

Ajax are currently battling for a place in the UEFA Conference League group stage after missing out on Champions League football after finishing 5th in the Eredivisie last season.<\/p>\n

While respecting Europe’s third-tier competition, Arokodare admitted it is not where Ajax’s ambitions should end.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWith all due respect to the Conference League, but the Conference League is not where Ajax as a team want to be,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cYou want to play in the Champions League.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The towering striker added that returning Ajax to Europe’s premier competition is one of the club’s primary objectives this season.<\/p>\n

\"Soccer
Tolu Arokodare of Ajax. Copyright: Imago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Conference League first, Champions League next<\/h3>\n

Although Ajax’s long-term target is Champions League qualification, Arokodare stressed that the squad remains focused on the immediate challenge of overcoming Swiss side FC Sion in the Conference League play-offs tonight.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe most important goal this season is obviously to win matches, win the title and return to the right position,\u201d Arokodare said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat means qualifying for the Champions League. For now we’re in the Conference League, and we’ll focus on what’s in front of us. <\/p>\n

\u201cOur job is to qualify and keep moving towards the position Ajax deserves,\u201d the former KRC Genk striker concluded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"Soccer
Tolu Arokodare scores for Wolves. Copyright: ImagoxNataliexMinche<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arokodare has already shown encouraging signs since arriving at Ajax, providing an assist on his Eredivisie debut and gradually earning the trust of head coach M\u00edchel as the Dutch giants begin their quest to reclaim domestic and European prominence.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"<!--Adefolahan Guerreiro” src=”https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f64d35abfd960f4a5a400c4bb517f7f0be6c48b655560fbdd37e59d9fc9ca58?s=80&d=mm&r=g” height=”80″ width=”80″ loading=”lazy” decoding=”async”>\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tAdefolahan Guerreiro\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n

\n\t\t\t\tAdefolahan is a multilingual CAF-Accredited sports journalist and football writer whose work spans outlets like Soccernet Nigeria, Pure Football UK, and Royalsportz. <\/p>\n

With a sharp eye for detail and a background in college sports, he tells the African football story with depth, flair, and global perspective.<\/p>\n

Fluent in English, Spanish, and German, he brings a cross-cultural voice to his coverage, blending insight with accessibility for readers around the world.
\nHis portfolio includes interviews with top Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, Sikiru Alimi, Sodiq Ismaila, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.<\/p>\n

A devoted Borussia Dortmund fan, Adefolahan thrives on the emotion and rhythm of the beautiful game. Away from work, he\u2019s a sci-fi enthusiast and series lover who enjoys exploring how sport, storytelling, and culture collide.\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Read More<\/a>Adefolahan Guerreiro<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Soccer Tolu Arokodare. Copyright: xDennisxGoodwinxImago Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has declared Ajax the biggest club in the Netherlands and insisted the Dutch giants belong in the UEFA Champions League, Soccernet.ng reports. The Nigerian forward made the bold statement while discussing Ajax’s ambitions for the 2026-27 season, despite the Amsterdam club currently competing in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":928565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[130534,397,2005],"tags":[130533,6605],"class_list":["post-928564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arokodare","category-makes","category-soccer","tag-arokodare","tag-makes"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/928564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=928564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/928564\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/928565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=928564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=928564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=928564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}