Arokodare Breaks Silence After Wolves Training Ground Protest

Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has broken his silence following the protest that disrupted Wolverhampton Wanderers’ pre-season preparations, insisting his actions were motivated by a desire to fulfil his contractual responsibilities professionally.

The incident occurred on Monday when Arokodare reportedly sat on the training pitch, preventing Wolves from holding a scheduled training session at their Compton Park training ground. The disruption forced newly appointed head coach Cesar Peixoto to cancel the session, while the club reportedly increased security to prevent a repeat of the incident.

Reports indicate that the Nigerian international had been instructed not to train with the club’s first team, a decision he believes undermines his ability to remain match-fit despite still being under contract with Wolves.

Speaking through a statement posted on social media on Tuesday, Arokodare maintained that his only objective was to continue training and remain available to contribute whenever called upon by the club.

The 25-year-old stressed that professionalism has always guided his conduct throughout his career and rejected suggestions that his actions were intended to create unrest within the club.

“Throughout my career, I have always taken great pride in conducting myself professionally and maintaining the highest training standards,” he said.

“My commitment has always been to prepare myself as well as possible so that I can contribute to my teammates and the club whenever I am called upon.”

He added that he remains a Wolves player and only wants the opportunity to carry out his obligations under his existing contract.

“I remain under contract with Wolves, and my only intention is to fulfil my responsibilities professionally by training, doing my job, and contributing to the team in accordance with that contract,” he stated.

The latest controversy follows another disciplinary issue involving Arokodare earlier this year. In April, the striker was fined after an altercation with teenage teammate Mateus Mane, an incident that reportedly affected his playing opportunities for the remainder of the campaign.

Despite joining Wolves in a deal worth around £24 million last year, Arokodare is now widely expected to leave the club during the current transfer window.

Trabzonspor are reported to have agreed a fee with Wolves, although the Nigerian forward is said to favour a move to Italian Serie A side Fiorentina as he weighs his next career step.