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Rumour Mills: Napoli step up interest in Nigeria’s Arokodare as Lukaku replacement

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Rumour Mills: Napoli step up interest in Nigeria’s Arokodare as Lukaku replacement

By Dayo Awoniyi

Italian champions Napoli have stepped up their pursuit of Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare as they seek a replacement for injured Romelu Lukaku, who faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

According to Il Mattino, representatives of the Super Eagles forward met with Napoli officials on Tuesday, a clear sign of the Serie A club’s growing determination to bring him to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

The 23-year-old, currently on the books of Belgian side KRC Genk, is valued at between €20 million and €25 million. He enjoyed a breakout 2023/24 campaign, scoring 23 goals and supplying seven assists in 45 appearances across all competitions.

Towering at 1.97m, the Lagos-born striker is renowned for his aerial power, hold-up play, and physical presence — traits that have seen him compared to Lukaku himself.

Arokodare began his European adventure in Latvia with Valmiera before stints at Amiens in France and then Genk, where his consistency has established him as one of the Belgian Pro League’s most lethal marksmen.

His form has also pushed him into contention with Nigeria’s Super Eagles, where he is regarded as part of the country’s exciting new generation of forwards.

For Napoli, he represents not only a stop-gap for Lukaku’s absence but also a long-term investment, with the club fighting on multiple fronts including Serie A and the UEFA Champions League.

With the new season fast approaching, the pressure is mounting for Napoli to strike a deal swiftly.

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Samuel Ahmadu
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.
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