KRC Genk have replaced one departing Nigerian striker with another with the signing of Tolu Arokodare from Amiens.
KRC Genk have bolstered their attack with the signing of Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare from French second-division club Amiens.
The Belgian club lost talisman Paul Onuachu to Southampton on deadline day in a deal worth €21 million total and have now reportedly spent a fraction of that to replace him with Arokodare.
The 22-year-old has been linked with a transfer away from Amiens to multiple teams including another Belgian club in Anderlecht but Arokodare is reportedly set to join Genk in a deal worth €5 million.
Arokodare to KRC Genk
KRC Genk have reportedly signed Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare in a deal worth €5 million from French Ligue 2 club Amiens.
Acclaimed football transfer journalist, Fabrizio Romano tweeted confirmation that Genk had signed Arokodare from Amiens on deadline day.
The 22-year-old was heavily linked with two Belgian clubs, Anderlecht and KRC Genk but he has since landed in the country to join the latter rather than the former.
Arokodare is in his second season at Amiens where he is on loan from Latvian club Valmeira who remains his parent club.
He scored 13 goals in 40 games across all competitions for Amiens last season, followed by eight goals in 23 games this season.
Arokodare and Onuachu
Arokodare is seen as a direct replacement for Onuachu who left Genk after four years at the club to join Southampton in the Premier League.
Onuachu is six foot seven inches tall, just an inch taller than Arokodare which shows that both players have similar profiles.
Genk have gone for a like-for-like replacement in a bid to replace Onuachu’s goals as the Nigerian already had 16 in 19 games before departing the league.
But Onuachu’s overall record in Belgium will be difficult to eclipse as he scored 85 goals in 134 games for Genk.
Arokodare will now be expected to live up to those lofty standards set by his compatriots to become the major source of goals.