Nigeria international’s European nightmare deepens as bench role continues despite dumping former club for £17 million

• The Unused Asset: Nigerian international striker Tolu Arokodare watches from the dugout as Ajax executes a dominant continental display without using his services.

• The €3.1M Statement: Masterclass performances from Steven Berghuis and Kasper Dolberg seal a commanding 3-1 first-leg victory over Irish side Shelbourne in the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round.

• The Pre-Season Mirage: Despite an explosive debut goal off the bench against FC Volendam, the Nigerian attacker finds himself completely frozen out of official competitive action.

The reality of life in the Netherlands could hit Tolu Arokodare incredibly hard, proving that changing your club badge does not automatically erase your matchday frustrations.

Dutch heavyweights Ajax successfully maintained their continental momentum, cruising to a dominant 3-1 victory over Irish side Shelbourne at a packed Johan Cruijff Arena in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League third qualifying round tie. 

Midfield veteran Steven Berghuis dictated the entire structural tempo, setting up clinical goals for Owen Wijndal and Kasper Dolberg, while winger Mika Godts also found the back of the net to hand the hosts a healthy cushion heading into the return fixture.

However, the major talking point within the Nigerian football ecosystem was the absolute omission of Arokodare. 

The 25-year-old Super Eagles striker was left stranded on the bench as an unused substitute throughout the entire 90-minute European encounter, watching his new teammates celebrate from the sidelines.

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The sudden tactical snub has left homepage fans deeply bewildered, especially following the forward's explosive start to life in Amsterdam. 

Just days before, the imposing 6ft 6in hitman made a resounding statement during his unofficial Ajax debut against FC Volendam.

Coming off the bench in the 71st minute, Arokodare aggressively capitalised on a chaotic, miscued clearance inside the penalty area to round the keeper and smash home the final goal in a comfortable 3-1 pre-season win. 

The clinical cameo left many believing he had instantly won over the technical staff, but Farioli’s competitive lineup selections proved that pre-season guarantees mean absolutely nothing when competitive football resumes.

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Arokodare forced a high-profile loan switch to the Eredivisie this summer to completely revive his career after enduring a highly toxic, chaotic spell with Wolverhampton Wanderers. 

The Nigerian powerhouse originally moved to Molineux in a massive £24 million deal from Genk in 2025, but his time in England turned into an absolute nightmare, finding the net just three times in 33 games as Wolves slumped to a painful relegation.

His relationship with the English club completely imploded over the summer following allegations that he forced a training session to be cancelled by refusing to leave the pitch, a claim the forward fiercely denied in an aggressive public statement.

While Ajax hold an option to make his transfer permanent next summer, the Super Eagles forward is discovering that escaping his Premier League ghost requires more than a shift in scenery. 

With Ajax scheduled to square off against PEC Zwolle in their highly anticipated Eredivisie opener on Sunday before flying to Dublin for the Shelbourne second leg, Arokodare must urgently state his case in training if he intends to break out of this vicious bench loop.