Super Eagles striker, Tolu Arokodare has dismissed widespread reports suggesting he deliberately snubbed Belgian giants Anderlecht.
The 24-year-old, who currently leads the Belgian Pro League scoring charts, clarified that he never turned down Anderlecht out of pride or disrespect.
According to Arokodare, the circumstances surrounding the club’s interest were never as straightforward as the media made them seem.
Anderlecht had tried to sign the Nigerian international on two separate occasions.
The first approach came during Arokodare’s rise at Latvian side Valmiera, where his consistent goal-scoring form caught the attention of several European clubs.
Despite Anderlecht’s interest, he instead secured a loan move to Bundesliga outfit FC Köln.
That spell in Germany was brief and largely forgettable, prompting a switch to France where he rediscovered form with Ligue 2 side SC Amiens.
It was after his resurgence in France that Anderlecht came calling again. However, Arokodare opted to join league rivals KRC Genk in January 2023, reportedly for €5 million.
His decision sparked speculation, with Anderlecht insiders later claiming tensions with his agent, Didier Frenay, had complicated the deal.
Arokodare, however, has now addressed those rumours directly.
“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.
