Tolu Arokodare: 2 lessons Ajax star learned from ex-Man Utd striker Weghorst

Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare extended his goalscoring streak to five straight games in Ajax’s 2-2 draw against FC Twente, with Wout Weghorst sealing a point for the home side in the 95th minute.

The 25-year-old joined Ajax on a season-long loan with the option to buy included in the deal, and he’s found his scoring touch in Amsterdam, finding the back of the net 13 times and setting up four goals in 17 games.

Ajax travelled to Twente for their final match before the International break, and Arokodare caught up with an old friend in Weghorst, who previously played for the Whites and Reds, adding an interesting storyline to the fixture. The 34-year-old has also been in great form, scoring five goals in his last three games.

After the clash at the De Grolsch Veste, Arokodare spoke about his relationship with the former Manchester United striker, revealing the lessons he learned from the experienced forward.

2 lessons Tolu Arokodare learned from Wout Weghorst

1. A winner’s mentality

The duo first met during Weghorst’s time at Burnley, when Genk played against the English side in a pre-season friendly.

The Dutch striker had just completed his loan spell with Manchester United and returned to the Clarets ahead of the 2023/2024 season.

Both strikers stand at the same height, and after the game, Arokodare admitted there was a flaw in his game – pressing, a feature that’s embedded in Weghorst’s game.

“I’m a Manchester United fan. When he [Weghorst] played there, I was very surprised at his work ethic,” Tolu Arokodare told ESPN Netherlands.

“When we played against Burnley, I was looking for him after the game, and he was in the gym.

“He’s always in the gym, and I asked him a question, telling him a flaw I have as I could not help defensively and press all game like him, and he told me it’s all about having a top mentality to help the team any way I can.

“I was supposed to go to Trabzonspor when I was in Genk, but it didn’t happen, and they had interest in him too, so we spoke about it.

“Before I came to Ajax, I asked him about the club and he had nothing but good things to say. That’s the kind of relationship we have,” the Nigerian striker added.

2. Faith

Arokodare also acknowledged the faith of the lanky striker, hoping that Weghorst continues on that path.

“I’m happy to see the impact of God in his life, and I hope God keeps blessing him.

“I hope he scores more goals, but he should slow down a bit, some of us want to score too,” Arokodare joked.

The duo shared a public expression of their faith after the game yesterday, as they prayed together.

Tolu 🤝 Wout Weghorst#tweaja pic.twitter.com/dVYxZHzJdH

— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) November 8, 2026

Arokodare will be looking to add to his goal tally against Tanzania on Friday when the Super Eagles resume their journey to the AFCON 2027 tournament.