Bundesliga club FC Cologne have signed Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare on a season-long loan from Latvian club Valmiera FC, Completesports.com reports.
Cologne announced Arokodare’s loan signing on their official website on Friday.
Arokodare his now teammate with Nigerian defender Kingsley Ehizibue.
Speaking on his loan move the 19-year-old said he hopes to improve as a striker playing in the Bundesliga.
“For me, it is a dream come true. I have always wanted to play in the Bundesliga. For FC, I want to score many goals and develop myself further. I’m really looking forward to it.”
And according to Cologne’s managing director, Horst Heldt: “Tolu is a young striker who has the potential to develop and brings many good qualities: he is athletic, good in the air and fast. Naturally, he will have to get used to the Bundesliga level. However, there is the advantage that he is already at match fitness and comes to us fully motivated.”
Arokodare has scored 15 goals in 16 games in the Virsliga since the league began in June.
Born in Festac, Nigeria Arokodare started off with Kash Academy, before playing for The International Academy during his time at school before Box 2 Box FC in Lagos.
By James Agberebi
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COMMENTS
This is a shocker!
Massive leap. From Latvia to Germany. Saw this on OWNGOALNIGERIA first though then was waiting for the confirmation here and here is it. Wow
This guy has just placed himself in the frame of the National team. He was banging goals in Latvia Vrisliga but we needed him to prove himself in the Higher League before we can be rest assured of his abilities and he’s set to prove himself to us. Congratulations Tolu.
Such great news. Really so happy for this guy. Time to show you are up to it.
I thought he was linked to Anderlecht,but this news is amazing. Another possible Super Eagles gatecrasher. God bless you.
Omo9ja the scouter…I dey feel you.
I love ur reaction chairmanfemi, as in its a shocker.You see that is life for you coming from an obscure league to the lamlight.But he must work hard to prove himself.
This is great news . I’m pleased that he’s now in the Bundesliga. That way , he’ll be able to bei under the radar for a call up into the national team and with his arrival into the league , he’ll definitely grow more effectively in the areas of goal scoring technically. Good luck Tolu
This is the more reason the NFF have to take youth football seriously.Players emerge from every set to reach a good height just like Arokodare,who knows he could be as good as Osimhen only time will tell.
I hope Pinnick is reading.We need a coach for the under 17’s as well other categories of the national team.
The future of the super eagles is the youth .
Great news! One of Nigeria’s best transfers of the season. Been following up news on this guy and was praying that his planned move to Anderlecht succeeds. Was a bit worried for him when he went as far as going on strike to force the move to Anderlecht, a bad strategy in my opinion…But wao, Bundesliga! FC Cologne! It’s a giant leap from Latvia
From every indication he has great talent, and age is on his side. I pray he keeps his head, work hard and make the very best out of this opportunity!
Another problem for our strikers
Fast, skillful (dribbling and ball control). At 6ft 5 inches, a solid physical and aerial presence. Good passer of the ball, unselfish in front of goal.
Yep, he is a good one. No doubt about it!
Check one of his highlights. Yes, it is Latvia. But a player can only defeat opponents in front of him. I think he will likely do well in Cologne.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZluX5LfDpw
Not surprised one bit. Some people here on this forum claimed you were not good all because you play in Latvia. Go ahead and bang in the goals. SE will still come runnimg after you
Huge step in the right direction. Na now your football career start….not the “pre-nursery” football you were playing in Latvia. Even at our lowest ebb, SE players were not so bad to be playing in Latvia or Hungary or Armenia. Na football dem dey play for those places…? Score 15 goals in 16 matches in the bundesliga and even Osimhen will have to make way for you in the SE. The top 5 leagues…..that’s were ballers are rated. Welcome to the “rated” club….!!!. Thank God it is beginning to sink into the heads of aspiring Nigerian internationals now. If you dey solve tens and units you think say you sabi maths, go were them dey solve differential calcus and complex algebra first……na dia we go know say u really sabi maths….LMAO.
All the best to you as u begin your german sojourn…..!
Hahaha…ha. Drey abeg allow this guy,
Hehehehe….its for those who expect us to call up players from vietnam, faroe islands, Armenia and Malta ahead of those playing in Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga et al. Anybody wey nor fit prove insef for the big leagues, who he wan bench for national team wia the players dem dey set the big leagues on fire on weekly basis…??
True talk @ Drey. I personally just like the guy and see some potentials in him. Broda d guy size remind me of Drogba proper. He just need to prove say na anywhere,he play, whether big, or small league or monkey post or whatever, goals must rain. He get the size/strength, so make him use that advantage wella.
Of course he’s got potentials. What is yet to be known is the depth of his potentials, whether it matches the level at which those he will compete with are operating. We cant forget in a hurry how Steven Odey was raking in goals in Switzerland only to struggle in Belgium. A certain Terem Moffi was also raining goals in Lithuania and moved to Belgium only to see a drop in his goal to game ratio. Arokodare has even taken it a notch up by moving straight from Latvia to the Bundesliga…this is where he can be truly rated. So wen you dey box for featherweight you think say you be champion…..climb go heavyweight go fight Klitchko and AJ first….na dia we go know how much of a champion you be. Who talk say in papa farm big go know wen e see another person papa farm. If he can score 10 goals in the Bundesliga this season, then trust me, he has passed the SE invitation test.
@Dr. Drey, if you could remember, I was the first person to introduced this Tolu on this platform and you talked the guy down like bend down select clothes.
Today, another person did same and you are doing your things again?
If you are not a German/Nigerian, the chances are very slim to play for Nigeria under coach Rohr.
This is what I’m going to kick against sooner or later on this forum.
You knew that Tolu got talent but just because he is playing in the lower league he have no hope of representing Nigeria?
Some times the league some of our players are playing doesn’t determine their potentials. Everything depends on luck and time.
If Akpeyi and other average players could make it under Oga Rohr, I think Tolu deserves some respect from you and the gaffer.
You and coach Rohr are making the same mistake by thinking in that direction.
No wonder Adi couldn’t get a chance?
Young man, it is high time you realize that we are tired of these excuses.
We have good players every where the coach can choose from so, enough of these excuses.
I won’t say more than that. God bless Nigeria!!!
@Omo9ja …Tolu Arokodare was part of the 2017 Nigeria U17 team that failed to qualify for the U17 AFCON
There are numerous news about Tolu Arokodare on OWNGOALNIGERIA and ALLNIGERIASOCCER
You didn’t discover him as claimed and You don’t need to take credit for someone else hardwork / effort
God bless Nigeria
@Omo9ja .. Fenando Adi has Zero goal in 2020 ( 10 matches ) and 1 goal in 2019 ( 12 matches ) .
Total of 1 goal in 22 Matches ( 2 years ) .
Kindly answer the question honestly , Does Adi deserve a call up to the National team with this record / stats ?
God bless Nigeria
Fat lair….Na you discover Tolu Arokodare too…LMAO. Na you discover am for Manu Garba alongside Chidera Ejike, Igho Ogbu and other players of his 2017 U17 team. Na you too dey write report about them on scorenigeria, owngoal and allnigeriasoccer.com abi….LMAO
@Na me talk am has already answered you….LMAO. Na only foreign based players wey you read about for internet you dey ever discover, you nor dey ever discover homebased players….na only you get Internet ba…? LMAO. If All of us come to CSN to drop names of players we “discover” space nor go remain. Shove your discoveries down your troat.
Oga the league you are playing determines a lot. So even you now if Rohr should release SE list and leave out Osimhen, Dessers, Simmy, Iheanacho, Kalu, Onyekuru and list Adegbenro (Norway), Otubanjo (Armenia), Fatai Alashe (MLS), Leke James, Pygbara (Latvia), Steven Odey (Ligue 2), Tony Okpotu (Tunisia) you will clap for Rohr ba…? Shebi all of them get potentials…..LMAO
How many players from Latvia or Armenia or Hungary u don see for Brazil national team….??? How many players from championship or league 1 u don see for 3 lions. How many players for Spanish 2nd division you don see for Spanish national team. Is Latvia or Armenia any stronger than a 3rd division league in England, Spain or Germany…? Ordinary Rosenborg from Norway smashed Ventspils 5-1 right there in their stadium, does that tell you the gulf in class between Latvia and Norway…? Can Rosenborg go and beat Everton or Wolves or even Fulham 5-1 in England…?
The Adi you are ranting about was invited to our u23 he couldnt make it, He was invited to the SE twice under Siasia e nor even make SE bench. Your Adi was giving Rohr conditions to honour SE call ups…..LMAO imagine…..you dey play for MLS dey give ROhr condition that he must play you if you will honour invitation….LMAO.
So Rohr should stop inviting Osimhen, Dessers, Kalu etc and go and bring players from Vietnam, Sudan, Hungary etc because they have potentials…? LMAO. Sorry ehn, our national team has not degenerated to the standard of Latvia or Uzbekistan or Belarus. Any player that is serious of playing for the national team should move. We have way to many players competing at the top level for us to de relying on low league players. If you know say you good, go test yourself for where men dey.
Tell your future discoveries to stop solving tens and units and go to places where there are solving differential calculus and complex polynomials. If them reach dia com prove say dem too sabi solve calculus, den we go gree say dem sabi maths true true.
I stand solidly by that policy that any players that wants to play for the SE should move to the top 5 leagues. As a striker if you are not facing top class defenders every weekend how do you want to face defenders at the WC….? As a defender if you are not facing top class strikers every weekend how do you want to face strikers at the world cup…? Infact how do you even want to compete with does whom you want to displace in the national team who are already playing in such top leagues…?
Una for kuku say make Rohr discard all the players wey dey for SE make he go dey pick players from 2nd division of Nigerian league….after all the league where you play in does not matter.
@drey..there was one Adeleke Akinyemi..he stopped being messi as soon as he changed club
@Sean. Thank you very much
Na for this same Latvia league Akinyemi dey hamma goals like say tomorrow no dey….na just Norwegian league he move go wey all the goals dry up….LMAO.
You be champion for your street you dey raise shoulder. Go compete to State or National Championship first na. Na dia we go know say you really be champion….LMAO>
If league wia you play nor matter why is it that most teams always struggle in the elite league when they gain promotion……? Why is it that top scorer for 2nd division nor dey near top scorer for premier division after promotion….? Lolz