Tolu Arokodare: Real reason Wolves stopped Super Eagles striker from pre-season training

Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has found himself at the centre of a fresh controversy at Wolverhampton Wanderers after being prevented from training with the first team, Afrik Foot reports.

Reports from Sweden’s Expressen claim Wolves cancelled Tuesday’s training session after the Nigerian forward refused to leave the pitch when instructed not to participate with the senior squad.

The Championship club deployed additional security personnel at Compton Park to ensure Arokodare stayed away from training facilities, while the 25-year-old was also omitted from Wolves’ squad for their pre-season trip to Maidenhead United.

At first glance, the incident appears disciplinary. However, the bigger picture suggests a more complicated transfer standoff.

A transfer battle behind the scenes

Arokodare officially informed Wolves earlier this month of his desire to leave the club following their relegation from the Premier League.

The former Genk striker endured a frustrating debut season in England, scoring just three league goals in 33 league appearances as Wolves finished bottom of the table.

Despite his struggles, Arokodare remains a highly-rated striker across Europe due to his prolific form before arriving in England, where he emerged as one of the best attackers in the Belgian Pro League.

With the player keen to remain in a top-five European league rather than play Championship football, Wolves now face a difficult situation.

According to reports, the club are unwilling to sanction a cheap permanent sale. Instead, they prefer a loan deal containing either an obligation or option to buy, allowing them to recover a significant portion of the £23.4 million (€27 million) they invested in him less than a year ago.

The latest training ground developments therefore appear less about discipline and more about increasing pressure on the player to accept a move that aligns with Wolves’ financial interests.

Why Wolves are taking a hard stance

The arrival of experienced striker Raul Jimenez has further reduced Arokodare’s prospects of becoming Wolves’ leading forward next season.

Furthermore, the Nigerian’s relationship with the club has deteriorated since his dressing-room altercation with teammate Mateus Mane following the heavy defeat to West Ham United in April.

Former manager Rob Edwards had backed the idea of moving Arokodare on after the incident, and the arrival of new coach Cesar Peixoto seems to have accelerated that process.

Reports from Portugal and England suggest Peixoto has concerns regarding the striker’s attitude and wants to establish authority early in his reign by ensuring players do not dictate terms.

Preventing Arokodare from training with the first team could therefore serve two purposes: maintaining dressing-room discipline and pushing the player closer to accepting an exit.

Fiorentina remain favourites to sign Tolu Arokodare

Despite interest from Turkish side Trabzonspor and Serie A club Genoa, Fiorentina remain the strongest contenders for Arokodare’s signature.

The Florence-based club have already submitted an improved proposal after an initial bid was rejected. Discussions are reportedly centred on the structure of a potential €22 million purchase clause.

A move to Fiorentina would offer Arokodare the opportunity to remain in one of Europe’s top-five leagues while competing to secure a place in European football for the next campaign.

For Wolves, however, the objective appears straightforward: secure favourable transfer terms while avoiding the financial loss that would come from an immediate permanent sale.

The latest training ground saga may therefore not be a disciplinary crisis at all, but rather a high-stakes power struggle between club and player over where the Super Eagles striker will play his football next season.