3 Nwankwo Kanu records Tolu Arokodare can break at Ajax after sealing Wolves move

Dutch giants Ajax have completed the signing of Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season-long loan, Afrik-Foot reports.

The 25-year-old joins the Dutch giants until the end of the 2026-27 season, with Ajax holding the option to make the move permanent next summer for a reported fee of €22 million. The Amsterdam club will reportedly pay his full salary, a fixed loan fee to Wolves and additional bonuses linked to European qualification. Arokodare will wear the famous No. 99 shirt as he begins a new chapter in the Eredivisie.

The move comes after a frustrating campaign in England. Wolves signed the towering striker from Belgian champions Genk for £24 million in September 2025, but he managed only six goals in 38 appearances as the club suffered relegation from the Premier League. Reports of a breakdown in his relationship with the coaching staff also sped up his departure.

Ajax believe they have signed a striker capable of leading the attack. Technical director Jordi Cruyff described Arokodare as a physically dominant forward with qualities the club had been missing.

His arrival also carries huge significance for Nigerian football. Arokodare becomes the eighth Nigerian player to represent Ajax, joining a famous list that includes Nwankwo Kanu, Finidi George, Sunday Oliseh, Tijani Babangida and Calvin Bassey.

Among those legends, Kanu remains the benchmark. During his unforgettable spell between 1993 and 1996, the former Super Eagles captain won three Eredivisie titles, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup while becoming one of Europe’s brightest young stars.

Now, Arokodare has the chance to write his own history by chasing three Nigerian records set by Kanu during his time in Amsterdam.

Most goals by a Nigerian in a single Ajax season

Kanu enjoyed his most productive campaign in the famous red-and-white shirt during the 1995-96 season, scoring 12 goals across all competitions. That tally remains the highest recorded by a Nigerian player in a single season for Ajax. Arokodare has already shown he can score at a much higher rate. Before moving to England, he enjoyed the best season of his career with Genk, where he struck 23 goals in all competitions during the 2024-25 campaign.

Ajax are expected to compete in the Eredivisie, the KNVB Cup and the UEFA Conference League this season, giving Arokodare plenty of opportunities to improve his numbers. If he quickly adapts to Dutch football and becomes the club’s first-choice striker, scoring more than 12 goals across all competitions is a realistic target.

Most Eredivisie goals by a Nigerian in his debut Ajax season

When Kanu arrived from Iwuanyanwu Nationale in 1993, he was only 17 years old and entered an Ajax squad packed with established stars under Louis van Gaal. Despite limited opportunities, he still managed five Eredivisie goals during his debut league campaign.

Arokodare’s situation is very different. The Nigerian international arrives at 25, with years of experience in Belgium, France, Latvia and England behind him. Rather than being developed slowly, Ajax are expected to rely on him immediately to lead the attack. If he settles quickly and earns regular starts, surpassing Kanu’s five-goal debut Eredivisie tally could become one of his earliest achievements in Amsterdam.

Fastest Nigerian to reach 25 Ajax goals

Perhaps the toughest milestone is Kanu’s race to 25 goals. The former Arsenal star reached that mark in just 54 appearances despite competing for places with elite forwards such as Patrick Kluivert and often sharing playing time in one of Europe’s strongest squads.

For Arokodare to beat that record, he would need to maintain an impressive scoring rate from the beginning of his Ajax career. Regular football will be crucial. If he establishes himself ahead of fellow attackers, he could receive enough minutes to challenge the landmark before reaching 50 appearances.

Given his height, aerial ability and proven goalscoring record in Belgium, Ajax believe they have signed a striker capable of delivering consistently.

Breaking Kanu’s achievements will not be easy. The former Super Eagles captain is one of Ajax’s greatest foreign players and remains one of Nigeria’s biggest football icons. However, Arokodare arrives in Amsterdam at the peak of his career rather than as a teenage prospect. If he rediscovers the form that made him one of Belgium’s most feared forwards, the history books at Ajax could soon have another Nigerian name climbing alongside Kanu’s.