By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria forward Tolu Arokodare is poised for a fresh start at Wolverhampton Wanderers following the appointment of Rob Edwards as the club’s new head coach.
Edwards has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract to begin his fourth spell at Molineux, returning to replace Vítor Pereira, who was dismissed after a dismal start to the 2025–26 season that left Wolves winless in their opening ten matches.
A well-known figure at the club, Edwards brings experience, stability, and a reputation for player development.
His coaching career has included working closely with several Nigerian internationals, among them Samuel Kalu, Maduka Okoye, William Troost-Ekong, Emmanuel Dennis, and Gabriel Osho — a network that could benefit Arokodare as Wolves enter a new phase.
The 42-year-old makes the move from Middlesbrough, where he led the team to a second-place finish in the Championship. His return is widely seen as an effort to revive a Wolves side that has struggled for rhythm and attacking cohesion this season.
Arokodare, who joined Wolves earlier this year, is currently on international duty with Nigeria in Morocco ahead of Thursday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff semifinal against Gabon.
The forward is expected to link up with Edwards and his backroom staff immediately after the international break as he bids to secure a prominent role in the team’s new direction under the returning manager.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
