Ajax eye loan of Arokodare as striker race heats up in Amsterdam
Vandaag at 16:30, Lentin GoodijkJournalist VITolu reported that 25‑year‑old Nigeriaan striker Tolu Arokodare is on track to become Ajax’s next summer acquisition, with a loan move to Amsterdam pending final agreement on the remaining terms, and could join the Dutch side before the next transfer window.
The loan would give Ajax another forward to challenge the place currently held by Marcos Leonardo, intensifying competition for the club’s number nine role. Leonardo has been the primary striker since his arrival, and the addition of Arokodare could reshape the attacking hierarchy.
Arokodare was one of the few players to find the net against Arsenal last season, scoring with a header. In December he headed the 90th‑minute equaliser to make it 1‑1 against the side that later won the Premier League. The goal was one of three league strikes he recorded that year for the struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers, a club that ultimately dropped to the second tier.
Ajax’s two‑million‑euro wage for Arokodare signals market shift
Recent weeks saw Arokodare at the centre of speculation, with Ajax, Trabzonspor and Fiorentina all expressing interest in his departure. Regional reports indicated that Wolverhampton’s manager César Peixoto sought to keep the striker out of certain training drills, but Arokodare refused, leading to a tense atmosphere and the cancellation of an entire training session.
In April the club imposed a disciplinary suspension after a collision with teammate Mateus Mané. The sanction may have contributed to the decision to send him on loan, less than a year after Wolves paid roughly €26 million to RC Genk for the forward.
Ajax’s record loan vs rivals’ focused deals in Dutch transfer turmoil
Another factor is the recent signing of Raúl Jiménez, who has already reclaimed the number‑nine shirt at Ajax. With Jiménez established, the club appears keen to offload surplus striking options.
If the final conditions are aligned, Arokodare is expected to arrive in Amsterdam on loan, adding depth to Ajax’s attack ahead of the upcoming season. The move would mark his first stint in the Eredivisie and could provide the Dutch side with a versatile target‑man.