Tolu Arokodare has returned to the Nigeria squad. The AFC Ajax striker receives his first call-up in ten months following a strong start to life in Amsterdam.
He has scored five times in eight matches for Ajax, where he is playing on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers this season. Manager Míchel Sánchez preferred him over other options like Marcos Leonardo and Kasper Dolberg. "Tolu terug bij Nigeria na bliksemstart bij Ajax," the forward said.
The 26-year-old Arokodare, a ten-time international, joins a squad led by head coach Éric Chelle. Nigeria face Madagascar on September 25 and Guinea-Bissau on September 29 in Africa Cup of Nations qualification. The team, which lost the final of that tournament to hosts Ivory Coast in early 2024, is currently ranked 26th in the world. Alongside Arokodare, star striker Victor Osimhen is also in the squad, while Panathinaikos forward Cyriel Dessers was not called up this time.
For Ajax, the call-up comes at a good time. The club sits fourth in the Eredivisie with 13 points from six games and has won four of its last five matches. The next fixture is a home game against Excelsior on Saturday, September 21 at 18:45. Arokodare will then link up with his national team. The full Ajax squad is available on the club's website.
The report in full is at Voetbal International
