By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria international Tolu Arokodare was on the scoresheet for KRC Genk but could not prevent his side from falling to a 2-1 defeat against Standard Liege in the Belgian Pro League on Sunday, extending Genk’s winless start to the season.
The Nigerian striker came off the bench to net a consolation goal, with Genk unable to overturn the deficit following a disappointing 1-1 draw in their opening fixture.
Arokodare, who finished last season as the league’s top scorer with 21 goals, has surprisingly been relegated to a substitute role this term, as head coach Wouter Vrancken continues to favour South Korean forward Oh Hyeon-gyu as his first-choice striker.
Despite his reduced playing time, the 23-year-old remains at the centre of transfer speculation. Genk are reportedly seeking a record-breaking fee for his departure, with Serie A clubs Atalanta, AC Milan, and Juventus closely monitoring the situation. The club hopes to surpass the €25 million received for Sander Berge’s move to Sheffield United in 2020.
As speculation continues to swirl, Genk will be hoping for stability in attack as they look to mount a serious title challenge.
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.
