Wolves Secure Tolu Arokodare in €27m Deal from Genk to Bolster Attack

Wolverhampton Wanderers have sealed a major transfer coup, agreeing a deal in principle to sign KRC Genk’s prolific striker Tolu Arokodare for a €27 million fee.

The 24-year-old Nigerian international, who topped the Belgian Jupiler Pro League scoring charts last season, is set to undergo a medical on Saturday, with Wolves aiming to finalize the transfer before the September 1 deadline.

The move marks a significant step in Vitor Pereira’s squad rebuild following a challenging start to the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

The deal, which includes a €20 million base fee plus add-ons, follows Wolves’ rejection of two bids from Newcastle United for Jorgen Strand Larsen, valued at £50m and £55m, with chairman Jeff Shi insisting the Norwegian striker remains integral to the squad.

Arokodare, standing at 6’6”, brings a towering presence and clinical finishing, having scored 23 goals and provided seven assists in 45 appearances for Genk last season, including 17 league goals to share the Jupiler Pro League golden boot. His aerial dominance, with 25% of his career goals coming from headers, and his ability to create space in the box make him a perfect fit for Pereira’s system, which emphasizes physicality and crossing opportunities.

DataMB highlighted Arokodare’s dominance, noting he led all U24 strikers globally in non-penalty xG (24.46), shots, and touches in the box last season.

The transfer comes after Wolves’ pursuit of Getafe’s Christantus Uche stalled due to disagreements over personal terms, prompting a swift pivot to Arokodare, who had also attracted interest from Napoli, AC Milan, and Fulham.

Genk’s openness to the deal was evident when manager Thorsten Fink omitted Arokodare from their Europa League play-off squad against Lech Poznan on Thursday, citing ongoing negotiations.

Fink told Het Laatste Nieuws, “Negotiations are underway. It was too risky for both parties to play,” confirming the advanced stage of talks.

Wolves’ strategy is to pair Arokodare with Strand Larsen, not replace him, despite Newcastle’s persistent interest.

Vitor Pereira emphasized Larsen’s importance after his brace in a 3-2 Carabao Cup win over West Ham, stating, “If it’s my decision, of course [he stays]. He’s a player with character.” The addition of Arokodare, alongside recent signings Jhon Arias, Fer Lopez, and centre-back Ladislav Krejci (€30m from Sparta Prague), signals Wolves’ ambition to climb the Premier League table after back-to-back opening defeats, including a 4-0 loss to Manchester City.

Personal terms for a potential five-year contract have already been agreed, per Sacha Tavolieri, with Wolves’ initial €20 million offer rising to meet Genk’s €25 million valuation, including bonuses.

As Wolves prepare for a crucial Premier League clash against Newcastle on Sunday, the impending arrival of Arokodare offers hope of a revitalized attack.