Arokodare’s Ajax debut – What we learned from his first outing in Amsterdam

Tolu Arokodare needed only 17 minutes to make his mark in Ajax colours, scoring on his unofficial debut as the Dutch giants beat FC Volendam 3-1 in a pre-season friendly at the Kras Stadion, Afrik-Foot reports.

The 25-year-old Nigerian striker replaced Marcos Leonardo in the 71st minute with Ajax leading 2-0 after goals from Anton Gaaei and Leonardo.

Although FC Volendam pulled one back through an own goal by Joeri Heerkens in the 80th minute, Arokodare restored Ajax’s two-goal cushion eight minutes later with a composed finish from close range.

Beyond the goal, the former Genk striker offered several encouraging signs that suggest he could become an important figure in Amsterdam.

What we learned from Arokodare’s Ajax debut

1. He made an immediate impact from the bench

Coming on midway through the second half, Arokodare wasted little time becoming involved in Ajax’s attacks.

Rather than drifting out of the game, he immediately occupied Volendam’s centre-backs with his movement and physical presence, giving Ajax a reliable focal point in attack.

His reward arrived in the 88th minute when he reacted quickest inside the six-yard box to convert from close range with his right foot after Ajax capitalised on a failed clearance.

Tolu Arokodare has scored for Ajax on his DEBUT.

Mentality 🔥🔥
pic.twitter.com/shpg4RkDSO

— POOJA!!! (@PoojaMedia) August 2, 2026

Scoring on your debut always attracts attention, but doing so after very little training time underlines his ability to influence games.

2. His link-up play already looks promising

The goal was not Arokodare’s only positive contribution. Four minutes earlier, he demonstrated another side of his game by setting up Oscar Gloukh following a quick Ajax counterattack.

Receiving possession with his back to goal, the Nigerian held off pressure before releasing Gloukh into space.

Although the midfielder’s effort drifted narrowly wide, the move highlighted Arokodare’s awareness, composure and willingness to involve teammates rather than force an individual effort.

Ajax’s attacking philosophy has long depended on forwards capable of combining with midfielders, and that brief passage suggested the striker understands those demands and fits right in.

3. His movement inside the penalty area is sharp

Arokodare’s debut goal was not spectacular, but it perfectly illustrated why Ajax snapped him up after a relatively poor spell with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

While defenders hesitated after the loose ball broke inside the area, Arokodare anticipated the opportunity, arriving at exactly the right moment before calmly finishing into the bottom-left corner.

4. Ajax now have a different attacking profile

At 1.97 metres, Arokodare offers Ajax something different from many of their recent centre-forwards.

His physical strength immediately gave Volendam’s defenders problems whenever Ajax played directly into him, while his ability to retain possession allowed midfield runners to join attacks.

That combination of aerial ability, hold-up play and penalty-box instincts provides Ajax with another tactical option, particularly against compact Eredivisie defences where physical presence edges what a 1.75m-tall Marcos Leonardo provides.

A debut that raises expectations

Pre-season performances should never be overinterpreted, but Arokodare’s first outing contained more positives than merely finding the net.

He linked play effectively, brought teammates into dangerous positions, showed intelligent movement and finished clinically when his opportunity arrived.

With Ajax’s competitive campaign about to begin, the Nigerian has already provided supporters with an early glimpse of the qualities that convinced the club to bring him to Amsterdam.

If this debut is anything to go by, his first goal may not be his last, and he’ll be looking to add more numbers when Ajax take on Irish side Shelbourne in their Conference League qualifiers.