Nigeria-Eligible Sends Message to Eric Chelle With a Goal in the Jupiler Pro League
- Tolu Arokodare scored Genk’s only goal in their 1-1 draw against Sporting Charleroi in the Jupiler Pro League on Friday night
- The 24-year-old has increased his goal tally to 29 goals in 77 appearances since joining the club in 2023
- Eric Chelle’s option in the striking position has increased with the performance of the former Box2Box FC player
Tolu Arokodare scoring a goal in Racing Genk’s 1-1 draw against Sporting Charleroi in the Jupiler Pro League on Friday night.
The striker gave Genk the lead in the 71st minute, before Daan Heymans equalised for Charleroi with a penalty in the 89th minute.
Nigeria is preparing for the World Cup qualifiers as they take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21 before battling Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later.
Source: Getty Images
Is Arokodare an option?
The former Amiens player has been enjoying his new form since he arrived at the Jupiler Pro League encounter in 2023.
According to AllNigeriasoccer, the lanky forward has surpassed his personal records for the most goals in a season.
During his one-year stay in Latvian top-flight club Valmiera, the Super Eagles-eligible scored 15 goals in 16 appearances per ESPN. He said:
"My goal has always been to give my best for my team, have a good season and develop my game.
"I have always known if I work hard the opportunities will come," he said.
"But the speed at which it happened, that was a surprise for me. It is good to know that they wanted me and acted quickly as well."
The former Flying Sports Academy player equaled his personal record for goals in a single campaign against Standard Liege on February 14.
He went on to score a goal in the next away game at Sporting Charleroi to set a new record of 16.
The Nigerian star has scored 23 goal contributions this season, with five assists and two additional goals in the Belgian Cup.
Source: Getty Images
Arokodare described as a weapon by coach Vanhaezebrouck
Former Anderlecht manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck believes KRC Genk possesses a formidable weapon in Tolu Arokodare.
According to Punch, the former Genk handler said the Nigeria forward's physical presence and technical improvement have made him a nightmare for defenders. He said via voetbalniews:
“They have a weapon up front with Tolu. No team in Belgium has that. No one has someone like Tolu in attack,” he stated.
“Thorsten Fink also deserves a lot of credit for that because Tolu has grown enormously under him.”
“Tolu used to fall over his feet, but now he keeps defenders at bay fantastically well,” Vanhaezebrouck added.
Arokodare Real Madrid's dream
The 24-year-old expressed that his dream has always been to play for Spanish giants Real Madrid.
According to Het Laatste Nieuws, Arokodare stated that he is focused on earning more points for his club. He said via voetbalnieuws:
"If it's not for Real Madrid, I don't see why it would be a golden opportunity.
"If an opportunity presents itself that is good for me and for Genk, then we'll see. I'm now focusing on getting even more points. But let's pray for a transfer to Real Madrid."
More Young Talents Under Chelle
Legit.ng earlier reported that Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle is preparing to unveil an exciting list of young talents ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers
Nigeria will face Rwanda in Kigali before taking on Zimbabwe in Uyo just four days later this month.
With several Nigerian players dealing with injuries, Arokodare is poised to step in and fill the gap.
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Source: Legit.ng
