Tolu Arokodare: Ajax legend singles out Super Eagles striker’s biggest strength

Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has earned praise from former Ajax midfielder Marciano Vink after making an impressive start to his loan spell at the Dutch giants, Soccernet.ng reports.

Arokodare joined Ajax from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season-long loan in the summer, with the Amsterdam club holding an option to make the move permanent.

The 25-year-old has wasted little time making his mark, scoring five goals in eight appearances across all competitions for Ajax this season while also providing two assists.

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His fast start has already changed perceptions of his move to Amsterdam, with Vink admitting Arokodare’s immediate influence is beyond what he expected.

Ajax legend singles out Tolu Arokodare’s biggest strength

While Arokodare’s goals have naturally attracted the most attention, Vink believes there is much more to the Nigerian forward’s game than his physical presence.

The former Ajax midfielder was particularly impressed by one piece of skill from Arokodare, who controlled the ball on his chest before attempting to finish with his left foot.

“That chance for Tolu, which he controlled on his chest and then shot wide with his left,” the 55-year-old said in quotes revealed by Livescore.

“He took it a bit too much on the outside of his foot this time, causing it to go wide,” Vink continued.

Vink was impressed by the way Arokodare executed the move in a tight area, especially considering the striker’s imposing physical frame.

“But that is really impressive, in tight space for such a big and strong guy.

“It's a good thing the ball didn't go straight into the top corner, because then it would be the goal of the year,” he added.

“That whole move reveals so much footballing class.”

Vink surprised by Arokodare’s sudden Ajax impact

Arokodare arrived at Ajax after a difficult spell at Wolves, where he scored six goals in 38 appearances during the 2025-26 campaign.

His return to the Netherlands has so far brought a completely different story, with the striker already contributing five goals and two assists despite limited playing time.

Vink admitted that Arokodare’s early influence has exceeded his expectations.

“I didn't expect him to make such an immediate impact,” the former Ajax midfielder said.

The Dutchman did, however, identify one area where Arokodare can still improve.

“Only the heading could be a bit better, but that move reveals a lot. He can really play football well for such a strong, big player,” the one-time UEFA Europa League winner added.

The Nigerian’s numbers make his rapid adaptation even more impressive. Arokodare has needed only 355 minutes to register his five goals and two assists, giving him a goal contribution roughly every 71 minutes for Ajax this season.

His European performances have also played an important role, with three of his five goals coming in the Conference League, while his two Eredivisie goals have come against Telstar and PSV Eindhoven.

For a player who arrived on loan with questions over how quickly he could adapt to Ajax’s demands, Arokodare is already providing a brilliant answer.

With Vink highlighting a side of his game that goes beyond his physicality and goalscoring, the Super Eagles striker is beginning to show why Ajax were willing to bring him back to the Netherlands, while making a case for the Dutch giants to make the deal permanent next summer.