Genk’s Tolu Arokodare Says No To Trabzonspor, Gets Praises From Coach

Nigerian forward Tolu Arokodare has expressed his strong commitment to remaining with Belgian Pro League team KRC Genk.

Despite rumors linking him to Turkish club Trabzonspor, Tolu Arokodare has made it clear that he intends to honor his contract with Genk which will expire in 2027.

“Only players who retire know when it’s their last match anywhere. As for me, this was not my last match for Genk, I think,” he said according to HLN.

“There are still matches to come. Next week we play against Beerschot. I’m focused on that and not on rumors. I have a contract with Genk and I will respect that by doing my job.”

Tolu Arokodare has been impressive in the early stages of the 2024-2025 season, finding the back of the net twice in the team’s first two matches.

After scoring in Genk’s 3-1 loss to OH Leuven on the opening day, Arokodare continued his goal-scoring form by contributing to the team’s victory over Club Brugge.

The performance of the 23-year-old Nigerian striker has garnered praise from Genk head coach Thorsten Fink, who is keen on retaining the talented striker within the team.

Despite the interest from Trabzonspor, Fink firmly believes that Arokodare’s abilities make him an invaluable asset to Genk. The coach expressed his determination to help Arokodare reach his full potential and emphasized his desire for the player to stay with the club.

“Believe me, no better striker is walking around in Belgium than Tolu. But he must show himself, show passion. Like he did against Club Brugge, ” Fink was quoted by HLN.

“I’m convinced I can get the best out of him. He also knows I believe in him. I really hope we can convince him to stay; under €10 million, you won’t find a striker with his qualities. It’s only when there’s a very high offer and the player himself wants to leave, that you allow them to leave.”

Note that Tolu Arokodare who was born in Lagos in November 2000 and started his football journey at a Nigerian lower league club, Box2Box FC, is yet to represent Nigeria at any level of international football.