Super Eagles forward Tolu Arokodare opened his competitive career at Ajax Amsterdam in style, setting up the winning goal as the Dutch giants began their 2026/27 Eredivisie campaign with a 2-0 victory away at PEC Zwolle. The Nigerian international had to wait patiently for his chance, however, as he was named among the substitutes for the season opener.
With the contest goalless deep into the second half, Ajax head coach turned to the towering striker in the 73rd minute, bringing him on for Abdellah Ouazane. The introduction proved immediately decisive, as Arokodare needed just three minutes to make his presence felt.
Julian Brandt subsequently doubled the advantage deep into stoppage time, with Mika Godts providing the assist for the second goal, sealing a comfortable opening-day win for the Amsterdam giants.
Consequently, the outing offered Arokodare the perfect platform to stake his claim for a more regular role in Francesco Farioli’s side. Having arrived in the Dutch capital on a season-long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers on July 30, the 25-year-old had already shown flashes of promise in pre-season, scoring on his unofficial debut against FC Volendam. As a result, converting that promise into a competitive contribution so quickly further strengthens his case for a starting berth.
Meanwhile, the move to Ajax represents something of a reset for Arokodare following a turbulent first season in the Premier League. He joined Wolves from Belgian side Genk in a reported £24 million deal in September 2025, arriving off the back of a prolific campaign in which he won the Belgian Golden Shoe after finishing as the Pro League’s top scorer.
However, life at Molineux did not go to plan, as he managed just three goals in 33 appearances before Wolves were relegated to the Championship, and his exit was further complicated by an acrimonious falling out with the club over training disputes.
Against that backdrop, Arokodare has spoken openly about what the switch to one of European football’s most storied clubs means to him. Reflecting on the move, he admitted that he never imagined a switch to Ajax would materialise, given how revered the club is in Nigeria despite limited domestic coverage of the Eredivisie.
Furthermore, pundits in the Netherlands have already begun taking notice of his early impact, with former Ajax forward Ronald de Boer pointing to his pace and technique as qualities that could make him a useful weapon on the counter-attack.
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Arokodare’s fast start in Amsterdam offers encouraging signs ahead of Nigeria’s continued push through international qualifiers. His hold-up play and aerial threat, honed during his rise from Lagos academy football through Latvia, Belgium and now the Netherlands, have long made him a useful option for the national team’s attack.
Consequently, a settled run of games and end product at Ajax could translate into sharper sharpness and confidence whenever he is next called up by the Super Eagles coaching staff, particularly with Nigeria still chasing a return to major tournament football.
Ajax will turn their attention to Heerenveen at home in their next Eredivisie fixture, before shifting focus to the second leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round tie against Shelbourne in Dublin, where they carry a commanding 3-1 lead from the first leg. F
The challenge now for Arokodare is to build on his bright start and convert his impact off the bench into a more permanent place in the starting eleven as the season progresses.
