Tolu Arokodare: Key reason Wolves could be forced to part ways with Super Eagles striker

Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare could be forced to exit Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer following the activities of the club in the transfer market, Afrik Foot reports.

The Super Eagles striker endured a difficult debut season in English football, managing just three Premier League goals from limited opportunities.

The former KRC Genk striker, signed for €26 million last summer, but was consistently isolated in a system that failed to deliver the direct, consistent service his profile demands.

At 6ft 6in, Arokodare is built for aerial dominance and penalty-box threat, qualities that were largely redundant in a Wolves side that struggled to create clear-cut chances week in, week out before ultimately finishing bottom of the Premier League, becoming one of the worst sides to do so in the process.

Edwards has since been sacked, replaced by Portuguese tactician César Peixoto from Gil Vicente.

The new head coach arrives with a clear identity and plan to rebuild Wolves for an immediate Championship promotion push, and his first major signing is the returning Raul Jimenez, who rejoined on a two-year deal with an option for a further year, reclaiming the No. 9 shirt and immediately installing himself as the undisputed starter of the Peixoto era, sending a clear message to Arokodare.

Why Wolves could be forced to sell Arokodare

The key reason Wolves may have to part ways with Arokodare this summer is not simply one of preference; it is one of financial necessity.

Championship football brings an immediate reduction in revenue. The Premier League’s central distribution payments, which can exceed £100 million annually for lower-placed clubs, is replaced by a significantly smaller EFL package, and Wolves will need to balance their books rapidly to comply with financial regulations.

Players with solid market values become assets to be converted into cash, and Arokodare, despite his disappointing first season, remains a 25-year-old Nigerian international with a €26 million price tag, making him one of the more valuable commodities at the Molineux.

The squad dynamics compound the financial argument. Jimenez’s return means Arokodare is now third in the Wolves’ striking hierarchy at best.

Sasa Kalajdzic, who spent last season on loan with Austria Bundesliga side LASK, is also at the club and available for the new campaign.

Peixoto, who built his reputation on direct, physical football at Gil Vicente with a clear hierarchy in his attacking selections, is unlikely to spend Championship season minutes managing a rotation system that keeps three strikers happy.

One of them has to leave, and with Jimenez untouchable as both a commercial and footballing statement, Arokodare is the most logical departure.

Turkish clubs, who have shown consistent interest in the striker, are already circling. Interest from Besiktas and Fenerbahce has been previously reported, and the prospect of regular first-team football in a league where physical strikers make the Super Lig a sensible destination.

What an exit means for Arokodare’s Super Eagles career

The Wolves move never gave Arokodare the platform his to break into the Super Eagles XI. Instead, it jaded him as he missed the AFCON 2025 tournament in Morocco.

Three Premier League goals in limited substitute appearances, with Victor Osimhen occupying the main striker role for Nigeria and competition from Paul Onuachu and Akor Adams lurking, meant Arokodare stood no chance. He needs consistent first-team football to make a compelling case for Eric Chelle heading into the AFCON 2027 qualifiers.

If he moves to Turkey, he gets the direct service and starting role his game has always needed, in a competitive environment that could restore the prolific instinct that made him one of the most exciting strikers in his time at Genk.