Tolu Arokodare don find out say changing club badge no mean say frustration go disappear. Dutch giants Ajax beat Shelbourne 3-1 for Johan Cruijff Arena for first leg of UEFA Conference League third qualifying round, but wetin concern many Nigerian fans na say Arokodare no feature at all.
Steven Berghuis dey control midfield, e set up goals for Owen Wijndal and Kasper Dolberg, while Mika Godts score the third one. E be comfortable win for Ajax, but the 25-year-old Super Eagles striker just sit for bench as unused substitute. E watch e new teammates dey celebrate from sidelines.
This one surprise many pipo because few days before, Arokodare don score for Ajax debut for pre-season match against FC Volendam. E come off bench for 71st minute, beat the keeper and smash home the final goal for 3-1 win. That kind performance make many believe say e don win over the technical team. But Farioli e lineup for competitive match show say pre-season guarantee no mean anything.
Arokodare move to Ajax on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer. E go Amsterdam to revive e career after wahala for England. Wolves pay £24 million for am from Genk for 2025, but e only score three Premier League goals for 33 matches as Wolves relegat to Championship. E total six goals for 38 matches for all competitions.
E left Molineux after a tight summer. Reports say e refuse to leave training pitch one day and e don clash with new manager Cesar Peixoto. Arokodare deny say e deliberately disrupt training, but the transfer to Ajax quick-quick follow. Ajax pay £1 million loan fee and cover e full salary. The deal include optional €22 million permanent transfer clause for summer of 2027.
Ajax give am the No. 99 shirt, and e be the eighth Nigerian to play for the club after Nwankwo Kanu and Finidi George. Before Thursday match, Ajax legend Ronald de Boer notice something special. De Boer talk say: “Did you see him before the match? He was standing on the center circle praying. I think he stood there praying alone on the center circle for five or ten minutes. Then he went back inside.”
De Boer also talk about two qualities wey make Arokodare valuable. “I expect that he also has speed, so that you can use him on the counter-attack as well. I have also heard that his technique is pretty good. He won’t be Mika Godts, but he’ll be fine.” So Ajax see am as more than just target man. E pace fit make am dangerous for quick transitions, and e technical ability fit help am link play even with e tall frame.
Arokodare fit now play for Ajax Europe campaign because registration issues don resolve. But e still need to prove e self for training if e want break out of bench. Ajax go face PEC Zwolle for Eredivisie opener on Sunday, then go Dublin for Shelbourne second leg. E go get chance to show wetin e fit do, but for now, e dey stuck for vicious bench loop.
