By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
KRC Genk have confirmed they remain open to sanctioning a high-profile transfer for Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare, with Head of Football Dimitri de Condé admitting there is still “a good chance” of the move happening before the close of the window.
Arokodare has been linked with Manchester United and Napoli, but no club has yet met Genk’s valuation.
The Belgian side are reportedly holding out for a record-breaking fee, higher than the €25 million they received for Sander Berge’s switch to Sheffield United in 2020.
“We’re experiencing an unpredictable transfer window, especially for strikers, and the carousel is slow to get going,” de Condé explained.
“But we’re sticking to our agreement that we’re open to a top transfer; I still believe there’s a good chance of that. Meanwhile, Tolu is behaving very professionally and is completely at the coach’s disposal.”
The 23-year-old enjoyed a breakout season last year, scoring 21 goals and claiming the Pro League’s Best Goalscorer award, a feat that cemented his reputation as one of the division’s most lethal forwards.
Despite his prolific form, Arokodare has started the new campaign largely from the bench, with South Korean striker Hyeon-gyu Oh emerging as Genk’s preferred option up front as the club waits for a landmark sale.
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.
