By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Former Burnley midfielder and current analyst, Steven Defour, has questioned KRC Genk’s handling of Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare, who has been relegated to a bench role this season despite finishing as the club’s top scorer last term.
Arokodare came on as a substitute in Genk’s first Jupiler Pro League win of the season — a hard-fought 2-1 victory away to OH Leuven — but was unable to find the net.
“It’s a shame for him that he couldn’t score, but I think he’s handling the situation well. He’s not giving up,” Defour said during his post-match analysis.
“That’s why it’s important that he gains confidence and starts against Poznan. If he can score there, he might be completely on his way.”
The 23-year-old striker enjoyed a breakout campaign last season, finishing as the Belgian Pro League’s top scorer with 21 goals — a tally that earned him the golden boot and widespread recognition for his clinical finishing.
However, despite his prolific form, Arokodare has recently lost his starting spot to South Korean forward Hyeon-gyu Oh, who has become Genk’s first-choice striker.
Even so, Arokodare’s market value remains high. Genk are reportedly holding out for a record-breaking fee, one that could eclipse the €25 million received from Sheffield United for Sander Berge in 2020.
Italian giants Atalanta, AC Milan, and Juventus are among the clubs said to be closely monitoring his situation.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
