Napoli’s search for a new striker has led them to Genk’s Tolu Arokodare, with reports claiming the Italian giants have opened contact with the 24-year-old’s representatives, Soccernet.ng reports.
Valued at around €18–25 million after finishing as Belgium’s top scorer last season, Arokodare looks perfect for the Serie A club desperate to fill the attacking void left by injured Romelu Lukaku.
But while the interest is concrete, there are growing reasons why a move may not materialize, and much of it traces back to Victor Osimhen’s sour fallout with Napoli.
How Osimhen’s Napoli Dream Collapsed
Nigeria’s talisman, Osimhen, etched his name in Napoli’s history by firing the club to their first Scudetto in over three decades during the 2022/23 season.
However, within a year, his relationship with the club turned sour. Following this, Osimhen was frozen out of the squad, stripped of his iconic No. 9 shirt, and shipped out on loan to Galatasaray before being sold permanently.
This saga was perceived to be one of the most contentious in Serie A and definitely left behind a bitter aftertaste in the minds of the Nigerian football faithful.
How the Nigerian Football Community Perceived It
The treatment meted out to Osimhen did not go unnoticed back home. The Nigerian football community openly criticised how Napoli handled their star man.
The event between the two parties was seen as a mark of disrespect to Osimhen, who had delivered an outstanding performance to send the club to being Serie A champions.
Due to this, Napoli’s reputation within the Nigerian football community has been dented, with concerns over how the club treats African—and specifically Nigerian—talent.
Tolu Arokodare: Temptation vs. Caution
There is a warning sign, which are hard to ignore, for Super Eagles attacker, Arokodare. Napoli might offer regular football following the injury of Lukaku and even the lure of Champions League games, but the fear of déjà vu is not something to ignore.
What had earlier happened to Arokodare’s countryman, Osimhen, could easily happen again to the Genk forward.