Tolu Arokodare: How Ajax helped Nigerian striker rediscover his confidence

Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has found his goalscoring touch at Ajax, admitting that the Dutch club has helped him regain his confidence.

The lanky striker joined Wolves in September 2025 after an impressive spell at Belgian side Genk, where he finished as the league’s top scorer in the 2024/25 season.

However, the move to the Premier League was difficult, with the forward managing just three goals in 33 league appearances as Wolves suffered relegation.

The Nigerian admitted that the experience affected him more than his statistics suggested. Speaking to NOS, he explained that failing to score regularly made him feel he wasn’t doing his job.

“To be honest, I struggled with my confidence last season. I didn’t score as much as I was used to. When you’re a striker, and you don’t score, it feels like you’re not doing your job properly,” Arokodare said.

His summer move to Ajax gave him a chance to start again. The Dutch giants signed him on a season-long loan from Wolves, with an option to make the transfer permanent, giving him a different environment to help rebuild his confidence and find his scoring touch.

How Ajax have brought the best out of Tolu Arokodare

The early returns suggest the move has worked. Arokodare has scored 13 goals in 17 appearances across competitions for Ajax, with seven coming in the Eredivisie and another six in the UEFA Conference League and the qualifiers.

The striker’s comments show that his improvement is closely linked to how comfortable he feels in Amsterdam.

“Thanks to God, and thanks to Ajax, I’m scoring again, so I’m happy again,” the former FC Köln striker said.

That admission captures the difference between his two recent experiences: at Wolves, goals became a source of frustration; at Ajax, they have helped restore his enjoyment of the game.

The relationship he has developed with head coach Míchel Sánchez has also contributed to his positive experience. The Spaniard affectionately calls him ‘the special one’, praising his personality, humour and ability to make teammates feel comfortable.

Arokodare describes their relationship as ‘tough love’. The manager reacts when he misses chances, while the striker celebrates goals by playfully telling his coach to be quiet. They share a laugh and embrace after matches, with the Nigerian insisting that there are no hard feelings.

That connection appears to have helped him settle into the team, but his influence extends beyond his relationship with the coach.

More than just goals for Ajax

Arokodare has become a popular figure among Ajax supporters, while his attitude towards teammates has also attracted attention.

He has recently publicly supported Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo during a difficult spell, arguing that players should encourage one another rather than treat competition for places as a personal battle. He has also paid tribute to injured striker Kasper Dolberg by celebrating goals with his teammate’s shirt.

Those gestures offer another explanation for why he has quickly become an important figure in the dressing room, alongside a likeable personality. Arokodare has made it clear that whether he starts or comes off the bench matters less to him than contributing to the team’s success.

His journey has not always been straightforward. He spoke about the loneliness he experienced after moving from Nigeria to Latvia as an 18-year-old, spending a prolonged period away from family and friends during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, the Nigerian appears to have found a sense of belonging in Amsterdam. His goals have restored his confidence, but the happiness he describes at Ajax suggests that the move has given him something just as important as finding the back of the net: an environment where he feels valued and comfortable playing football again.