Tag: Tolu Arokodare

Turkish champions Galatasaray are keeping tabs on Nigeria striker Tolu Arokodare and could attempt to sign him next summer, Soccernet.ng reports.

Galatasaray have been linked to many Nigerian strikers since Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen joined them last summer. The Turkish giants have already been linked to Gift Orban and Paul Onuachu, but nothing concrete has emerged.

Now, according to a new report by Nexus Sports, Galatasaray are interested in Genk star Tolu Arokodare. The 24-year-old Nigerian striker arrived at Genk in January 2023, and after a slow first season, he has picked up the pace.

Arokodare is having a brilliant season at Genk with eleven goals and five assists in 20 appearance this season. Standing at 6 feet 6 inches, he could add a lot to Galatasaray’s attack with his presence in the box, work rate and proficiency in front of goal.

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Arokodare is currently valued at €9 million according to Transfermarkt data. But Genk could slap a €15 million price-tag on him as he still has two years left on his current deal.

Galatasaray will likely lose Osimhen next summer, as his loan deal will expire and he will be looking to move to a big club in one of the top five European leagues. If they try to sign him permanently, their finances will take a big hit.

Tolu Arokodare continued his blistering form in front of goal for Genk who got a priceless 2-0 away win at Gent to maintain top spot.

Arokodare notched his eighth goal of the season from 12 games to draw level with Andriano Bertaccini of Saint Truiden in the race for the Belgian League highest scorer. His 46^th minute goal  was the curtain raiser but the former junior international was replaced in the 78th minute by his compatriot, Yira Sor.

Jordan Torunarigha played for Gent in the game and was available for the duration of the game.

In another game, Club Brugge beat Anderlecht 2-1 with Raphael Onyedika earning his 10^th  game of the season.

In France, Gift Orban is still  frozen out of Lyon FC first team who were held to a 2-2 draw by Auxerre who also played the game without their defender, Gabriel Osho. Orban has only played three French Ligue One games with two goals.

In another French League game, OGC Nice pipped AS Monaco 2-1. Terem Moffi is still recovering from a knee injury and didn’t play for Nice but George Ilenikhena of Monaco was called upon in the 76^th  minute for his ninth game of the season.

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Moses Simon was absent in Nantes 3-1 loss to Strasbourg. The Nigerian could not add to his right games and two goals stats while Montpellier’s Akor Adams fired blank in their 3-0 loss to Toulouse. Akor has scored three goals from nine games this season.

In Turkey, Bright Osayi Samuel’s Fenerbahce beat Bodrum FK 2-0 with Samuel picking his third game of the season for Jose Mourinho led side.

Despite playing without their Nigerian attacker, David Okereke, Gaziantep FK beat Konyaspor 3-1.

Getafe striker, Christantus Uche came on at halftime as his Spanish side got a 1-1 draw at home to Valencia.

Former junior international, Tolu Arokodare, scored his seventh goal of the season and added an assist for Belgian League leaders, Genk in a tight 3-2 home win over St. Truiden yesterday while Moses Simon bagged an assist for Nantes in their 1-1 draw at home to OGC Nice among other games played by Nigerians in Europe.

In Belgium, Arokodare rose to  the highest scorer  spot in the topflight following his seventh goal of the season in Genk home win over St. Truiden.

 The victory also kept the club’s place at the top of the Belgian league table with 25 points from 11 games. Arokodare was substituted in the 85th  minute while  his compatriot, Yira Sor was introduced in the 78th  minute.

In France, Moses Simon earned his third assist of the season for Nantes who were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Nice. The Nigerian played his eighth game of the season with two goals to his credit. The Yellow and Green are ninth on the table with 10 points from eight games. 

In another French topflight game, Gift Orban was an unused substitute in Lyon 4-0 away win at Le Havre while Gabriel Osho was substituted in the 69th  minute of Auxerre’s 2-1 home win over Reims. Auxerre remain in 12th  spot with nine points from eight games. 

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In Italy, Tyronne Ebuehi was unavailable for Empoli as he continues his recovery from a knee injury but his club was beaten 1-0 at home by Napoli through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s 63rd minute penalty kick. 

Ademola Lookman was substituted at the start of the second half in Atalanta’s 2-0 away win at Venezia. Lookman with two goals and two assists from five games was replaced by Juan Cuadrado. 

In Scotland, Cyriel Dessers failed to hit bull’s eye as Rangers fell 1-0 to Kilmarnock for their second defeat of the season. Dessers was hooked off in the 71st  minute while his Nigerian teammate, Leon Balogun was allowed in, in the 63rd  minute. 

In Spain, Chrisantus Uche was removed at halftime in Getafe’s 1-1 draw at Villarreal.

Genk attacker Tolu Arokodare believes his chances of playing Super Eagles will come , adding he is not worried for  lack of attention yet since the  Super Eagles is not short of quality strikers.

Arokodare who has traversed Latvia, Germany and France is presently in Belgium with Genk and has scored six goals from just 10 league games.

The striker in an interview with Tribalfootball.com said he was yet to be contacted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) but that he knows it would be difficult to break into the team for now with the Eagles blessed with top attackers playing for top teams in Europe.

The former Box-2-Box player opined that he has not ruled himself out of the team and that he is optimistic he would get a call up soon.

“We have a huge talent in our attack obviously and the whole squad is full of talents. I haven’t been contacted by the NFF, but with time, if I keep performing right and doing the right things, I think I will get that call soon and me not being called up I think it’s not my time and I think the players that are being called up before me, they worked to be in that position, they deserved every invitation to the Super Eagles,” Arokodare told  Tribalfootball.com.

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“I just need to have patience and work harder.”

Arokodare is currently top of the goals scorers chart with six goals even though he is level in that position with two other players and his Belgian club is also top of the table with 22 points from 10 games three points ahead of the chasing pack.

The Nigerian expressed admiration at Genk good start to the season and he said he and his teammates would continue to approach every game with the eagerness to record positive results. “It has been amazing for me here knowing that Genk is at the top of the table. I think to have played seven games and won five games is really good and the atmosphere is really great. I’m sure that we will continue to approach each game with positive energy and great morale for the team to continue the winning streak,” he added.