Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Tolu Arokodare was at the centre of an incident that led to the full cancellation of Monday’s first team training, according to reports.
Arokodare had a poor first season at Wolves, scoring three times in 33 matches having signed from Genk in a deal worth £23.4 million. The Black Country club suffered relegation from the Premier League.
New manager Cesar Peixoto arrived in the summer, and soon omitted him from the team’s pre-season training trip to Portugal for reasons that aren't yet fully clear.
Arokodare forces the cancellation of Wolves training
The former Genk striker is expected to leave Molineux this summer. Reports in Turkey indicated that interest from Serie A side Fiorentina had fizzled out, leaving Trabzonspor in pole position despite Arokodare reportedly rejecting the move after Wolves accepted a bid.
Arokodare and Wolves are understood to be deadlocked on his transfer situation. The player wants to leave, but the Championship club want to mitigate their losses by bringing in a significant fee.
Genoa and Pisa, relegated from Italy’s top flight in last place last season, have also been linked with the 25-year-old, who joined Wolves as a freshly minted Nigerian international last summer.
Wolves are now back at their Compton Park training ground and Arokodare has been instructed not to train with the first team, sparking a dramatic confrontation and ultimately forcing the cancellation of the session.
“Understand Wolves training was cancelled [on Monday] following Tolu Arokodare’s refusal to leave the pitch,” journalist Nathan Judah posted on social media.
“Cesar Peixoto seemingly not tolerating ‘player power’ and poor discipline levels. Extra security enforced at Compton Park [on Tuesday] to make sure he was not at training ground.”
Wolves risk becoming a test case for FIFA’s refreshed transfer regulations and protections for players under contract.
They have brought Mexico centre-forward Raul Jimenez back to the club, and it’s evident that Arokodare is not part of Peixoto’s plans, but he no longer has the right to isolate the striker or anyone else from the first team set-up with the aim of forcing him out.
“Clubs are no longer allowed to force contracted players to train separately from the main squad or place them in so-called ‘bomb squads’ as a way of pressuring them into accepting transfers,” according to Soccernet.
“Players must continue training with the first team unless there is a genuine sporting reason or a documented medical issue preventing their participation.”
Arokodare’s apparent disruption of Monday’s training could work against him in any future case but Wolves’ decision to freeze him out is not without risk.
“Clubs found guilty could face financial penalties, transfer bans and other sporting sanctions. Any unpaid wages would also attract an automatic eight percent interest charge,” reports Soccernet.
“[Players] may also seek contract termination and leave on a free transfer instead of generating a transfer fee for their club.”
Arokodare had joined Genk from Latvian club Valmiera in 2023 after spells on loan at Cologne and Amiens, before joining Wolves last summer.
