Chris Gallagher believes Mexican striker Raul Jimenez's arrival at Wolverhampton Wanderers could push Nigerian forward Tolu Arokodare closer to a summer exit from the club.
Arokodare moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers after enjoying a prolific spell in Belgium, where he scored 23 goals and registered seven assists in 45 appearances across all competitions.
However, the Nigeria international failed to reproduce that form in the Premier League as Wolves endured a disappointing campaign that ended in relegation to the Championship.
Writing in Football League World, Gallagher argued that Arokodare's struggles may have stemmed from the club's inability to utilise his strengths effectively, adding that the Super Eagles star could rediscover his best form in the Championship.
"It could be argued that Wolves didn’t play to Arokodare’s strengths, and, in the Championship he could be more effective,” Gallagher said.
He, however, insisted that Jimenez is almost certain to become Wolves' first-choice striker.
The pundit also pointed to the return of Sasa Kalajdzic and the possibility of new manager Cesar Peixoto bringing in his own signings, saying Arokodare may not fit into the club's plans.
“But, with Raul Jimenez joining, the Mexican is certain to be the main number nine. Plus, Sasa Kalajdzic is back at the club, and Peixoto may want to bring in his own players,” he added.
Gallagher added that Wolves could be forced to sell the Nigerian at a loss, as they are unlikely to recover the fee paid for him if he leaves in July.
“It’s hard to imagine Arokodare is the type of striker he wants, so a summer move may benefit everyone. But, Wolves won’t recoup the fee they paid for the Nigerian, which means they may have to take a hit to get him out of the door in July," Gallagher concluded.
Ahead of the 2026/27 season, Arokodare will be eager to resolve his future and rediscover his best form after an underwhelming campaign at Molineux.
Adeyemi Adewale
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