Tolu Arokodare to Ajax: Everything you need to know about the upgrade!

Dutch powerhouse Ajax have announced the transfer of 25-year-old Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare on a season-long loan deal from English club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The agreement, which runs through June 2027, includes an option for the Eredivisie side to purchase the forward permanently at the conclusion of the campaign for a fee reported to be in the region of £17 million.

Arokodare, who departs the Premier League after just a season following an acrimonious fallout with Wolves, will wear the number 99 shirt for the club.

"I could never have imagined that I would play here. Not because I do not want to, but because everyone knows the size of this club," Arokodare stated upon his official presentation in Amsterdam.

Born in Festac Town, Lagos, on November 23, 2000, Arokodare began his youth development in Nigeria with Kash Academy, Flying Sports Academy, and Box2Box FC in Surulere.

He made his move to European football in 2019, signing for Latvian Higher League outfit Valmiera FC. 

His goalscoring exploits in Latvia earned him initial loan spells in top-five European leagues, first with Bundesliga side 1. FC Koln during the 2020–21 season and subsequently with French club Amiens SC in Ligue 2.

Arokodare’s career accelerated significantly following his transfer to Belgian First Division A side KRC Genk in January 2023 as a replacement for Paul Onuachu.

His time in Belgium culminated in an outstanding 2024–25 season where he finished as the Jupiler Pro League's top scorer with 21 league goals, earning the 2025 Ebony Shoe awarded to the best player in Belgium of African origin.

That performance prompted a £24 million transfer to Wolverhampton Wanderers in mid-2025. During the 2025–26 English campaign, Arokodare made 38 total appearances across all competitions for Wolves, netting six goals in league and cup action.

Standing at 1.97 meters (6 ft 6 in), the physical centre-forward provides Ajax manager Francesco Farioli with an aerial target and focal point in attack as the club aims to challenge for the Eredivisie title and compete in European competition.