Nigeria and Racing Genk striker Toluwalase Arokodare has experienced an eye-catching bloom in his professional career over the last couple of years, with the Lagos-born star establishing himself as arguably the most lethal finisher in the Belgian Pro League this season.
Arokodare’s tremendous rise saw him earn his first call-up to the Nigeria national team last month for the Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification games against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, eventually going on to make his debut against the Amavubi.
In this piece, Footynaija.com brings you everything you need to know about the freshly-minted Super Eagles striker.
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Biography
Arokodare was born on November 23, 2000, in Festac Town, Lagos, Nigeria. He began chasing his football dreams at Kash Academy and Flying Sports Academy in Festac. He also trained with the Segun Odegbami International College and Sports Academy before moving on to join the Box2Box FC Academy in Surulere, Lagos.
Arokodare had trials with SC Freiburg and Toulouse before joining Latvian club Valmiera in June 2019. He was loaned to 1. FC Köln for the 2020/2021 season, making his Bundesliga debut in September 2020.
In June 2021, he moved to Ligue 2 side Amiens on a two-year loan with an option to buy. He impressed enough at Amiens to earn a move to Genk in January 2023, signing a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Belgian club and scoring on his debut in a 3–2 win over Gent.
Career Stats
The 24-year-old marksman has racked up 80 goals and provided 10 assists in 208 appearances across four different football clubs. He is currently enjoying the most prolific season of his professional career, with 20 goals and 5 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions. Below is a breakdown of his numbers for the various clubs he’s represented.
Valmiera FC – 34 appearances (22G, 0A)
FC Koln – 11 appearances (0G, 0A)
Amiens – 63 appearances (21G, 2A)
Racing Genk – 100 appearances (37G, 8A)
Arokodare’s Salary
According to Salary Sport, Arokodare’s current weekly pay is a nice and round £8,000, making him the fifth highest earner on the Belgian club’s payroll.
That amount pegs his monthly income at £32,000 and brings his yearly earnings up to £384,000.
Net Worth and Market Value
While Arokodare’s actual net worth value is not publicly available, the Nigerian striker has interestingly seen a constant surge in his market value.
In the last year alone, the 24-year-old hitman’s transfer worth has soared from €4 million to €13 million, according to Transfermarkt.
Parents and Siblings
Factual information on Arokodare’s parents or siblings happens to be quite limited but it is believed that the towering forward had the backing of his parents early on in his footballing career.
In a story reported by Footynaija.com, he revealed that he got to play in front of his father for the first time in his professional career when he came on as a substitute in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Arokodare’s Girlfriend
Arokodare’s girlfriend, Pamela Mlunjwana, is a Dubai-based Zimbabwean influencer and entrepreneur, who has a vast following on social media particularly Instagram.
Their relationship came to light when 35-year-old Pamela, a prominent figure in the beauty and lifestyle industry, posted intimate photos of herself and the striker including one where she was seen wearing his Genk jersey after attending a game.
There are no reports of the couple having any child together at the time of writing.
Transfer News
Arokodare disclosed that he had an opportunity to secure a move away from the Belgian Pro League last summer (opting not to reveal the identity of his suitors) but ultimately made the decision to stay put.
During the January transfer window, Portuguese giants Benfica came calling for the Nigerian striker’s signature but Genk stood their ground and rejected all offers.
Whether Benfica or other potential suitors will come knocking again this summer remains to be seen.
FC 25 Ratings
According to EA SPORTS FC™ 25 player ratings, Arokodare’s overall rating is 72. While he has an average rating overall, his best rated abilities testify to his real life strengths on the pitch. His major strengths are shown below.
Physicality 80 Shooting 69
Jumping 90 Positioning 72
Stamina 69 Finishing 72
Strength 91 Shot Power 73
Pace 73 Long Shots 60
Acceleration 67 Volleys 65
Sprint Speed 78 Penalties 66
