Two Nigerian stars among early arrivals at KRC Genk as Tolu Arokodare set to miss season opener

KRC Genk kicked off their pre-season training ahead of the 2025/26 campaign with two players of Nigerian descent among the early arrivals — while star striker Tolu Arokodare will miss the club’s first friendly of the summer, Soccernet.ng reports.

Young winger Noah Adedeji-Sternberg and exciting forward Yira Sor were among 18 players who reported for duty at the club’s Cegeka Arena on Friday, as head coach Thorsten Fink took charge of his first session in front of a sizeable crowd under bright summer skies.

Adedeji-Sternberg, 20, was born in Germany and raised in Belgium to Nigerian parents.

Though he has represented Belgium at youth level, the versatile attacker remains eligible to play for the Super Eagles or Germany, keeping the door open for a potential senior international switch.

Yira Sor, 24, already has links to Nigeria, having featured for the Flying Eagles at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. The pacy winger is entering his fourth season with Genk after joining from Czech side Slavia Prague in 2022.

Get Our Sports News First – Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!

READ MORE

• Genk share crucial Tolu Arokodare pre-season update amid exit speculations
• Genk issue transfer warning: Bayern-linked Arokodare won’t leave for Onuachu money
• Exclusive: Genk star Arokodare names Ex-Super Eagles star as dream strike partner

Tolu unavailable for KRC Genk 

One notable absentee from the first day of pre-season is Nigeria international Tolu Arokodare, who is among 14 players granted extended leave after recent international commitments.

The 24-year-old was involved with the Super Eagles a few weeks, helping Nigeria win the Unity Cup in London and scoring his first international goal in the friendly fixture against Russia.

Arokodare enjoyed a breakout 2024/25 season, finishing as the top scorer in the Belgian Pro League and winning the Ebony Shoe, awarded to the best African player in the league. The striker is now being closely monitored by several major clubs across Europe, including reported interest from Manchester United.

Genk’s first friendly will be away to local side Eendracht Termien on Saturday, 28 June, with kick-off scheduled for 13:00.