“I was not Anderlecht’s first choice” – New Super Eagles star speaks on failed Belgian move

Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has revealed he was never Anderlecht’s first-choice signing, amid reports he twice rejected a move to the Belgian giants before joining domestic rivals KRC Genk, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 24-year-old Nigerian, currently leading the Belgian Pro League scoring charts, addressed claims that he snubbed Anderlecht’s approach during two separate transfer windows.

Arokodare first rose to prominence at Valmiera in Latvia, where his consistent goalscoring performances caught the eye of several clubs across Europe.

At that point, Anderlecht expressed interest, but Arokodare instead opted for a move to the Bundesliga with FC Köln. His time in Germany, however, was underwhelming and short-lived.

Following a more promising stint in France with SC Amiens, Anderlecht reignited their interest. But the Lagos-born striker once again took a different path — this time joining KRC Genk in January 2023, reportedly in a €5 million deal.

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What Super Eagles star Arokodare said of Anderlecht interest 

Anderlecht have since suggested that their failure to sign the Nigerian was down to tensions with his agent, Didier Frenay. But Arokodare has now set the record straight.

“I was certainly not Anderlecht’s first choice. They would have let me stay if a striker higher up in the pecking order had taken the bait,” he told Het Nieuwsblad, via Voetbal Belgie.

The decision has proven fruitful. Arokodare is now valued at €13 million by Transfermarkt and has attracted interest from clubs in Europe’s top five leagues. Genk are believed to be holding out for a fee at least five times their original investment.

His outstanding form for Genk earned him a maiden call-up to the Nigeria national team in March.

Arokodare made his Super Eagles debut in a 2-0 win over Rwanda in Kigali and featured again in the 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe, where he played a key role in Nigeria’s only goal of the match.

With 18 goals to his name this season, Arokodare is enjoying a breakout year in Belgium and has firmly placed himself on the radar of major European clubs—despite not being Anderlecht’s top target.