Arokodare to Ajax: 4 things Jordi Cruijff sees in the Nigerian striker

Dutch Eredivisie giants Ajax, completed the signing of Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare from Wolves on Wednesday, Afrik-Foot reports.

The 25-year-old striker signed a season-long loan with a €22 million option-to-buy clause. And he will be expected to play a key role at the club next season.

Following the move, Ajax director Jordi Cruijff explained the thinking behind the club’s move for Tolu Arokodare, describing the Nigerian as a forward who brings something the squad was previously missing.

Read the four things Cruijff’s comments reveal about why Ajax pushed to get the deal done.

1. A Profile Ajax Didn’t Already Have In The Squad

Jordi Cruijff was direct about the gap Arokodare fills, stating that Ajax were bringing in a striker with a profile the squad did not previously have.

That points to more than a like-for-like signing — it means that the club’s recruitment team identified a specific gap in their attacking options that neither their existing forwards nor a conventional replacement could solve. This indicates that the Super Eagles star will play a key role at the club next season.

2. Physical Power As A Genuine Attacking Weapon

Another thing that Cruijff noted in his assessment of Arokodare is his physicality. He described the former Wolves man as a physically strong player. And of course, this is due to his stature, as the Nigerian has a 1.97m (6 feet 6) frame and a target-man build.

For a club looking to diversify how they attack games asides from quick combination plays through midfield, a striker capable of winning aerial duels and holding off defenders gives Ajax a different route to goal, particularly against sides who sit deep in the Eredivisie.

3. A Proven Track Record In Front Of Goal

Cruijff also pointed to Arokodare’s finishing, calling him a player who has proven himself to be a goalscorer. That’s a reference to his form at Genk, where he finished as the Belgian Pro League’s top scorer before his move to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That season, the Super Eagles striker registered 21 goals and six assists in 40 appearances, and that is the kind of output that convinced Ajax that his struggles in the Premier League were not really his fault rather than a reflection of his true quality.

4. Confidence That His Output Can Translate To Ajax’s System

In addition to the first three points, Cruijff’s comments suggest that Arokodare’s signing was a thorough calculation rather than just a squad-filling signing.

He spoke about both the physical profile and his scoring record in the same breath. This means that the Ajax chief is effectively believing that the two combined — power in the box and a proven eye for goal, will translate into a striker capable of leading the line consistently. If he can do that, he will be a major upgrade on Wout Weghorst who left earlier this summer.