Ajax agree deal in principle with Wolves for striker Tolu Arokodare in €20m package

Ajax are close to signing Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Tolu Arokodare on loan with an option to buy, after reaching a verbal agreement with the Premier League club worth just over €20m.

The Dutch side have settled on a deal in principle with Wolves for the Nigeria international, according to Fabrizio Romano, with the move now described as being in its final phase.

The agreement is based on an initial loan for the 23-year-old, including a purchase option that would take the overall value of the package slightly above the €20m mark.

Both clubs are understood to have cleared the main obstacles in negotiations and are now working on the final administrative and contractual details before the transfer can be made official.

Barring an unexpected change of course, Arokodare is expected to become one of Ajax’s headline arrivals of the summer window, with the club viewing him as a key figure in their attacking plans for the new season.

Ajax’s priority target up front

Ajax have been actively searching for a new centre-forward to strengthen their attacking options, and Arokodare was identified as their top target for the role.

Sources close to the Amsterdam club say the profile of the Wolves striker fits precisely with the requirements set by the sporting leadership, who wanted a powerful focal point in the penalty area capable of providing a strong physical presence and acting as a reliable reference in attack.

That clear internal priority allowed Ajax’s hierarchy to speed up talks with Wolves and ultimately reach the current agreement in principle.

The move would offer Arokodare the chance to relaunch his career at one of Europe’s most prominent clubs, with the expectation that he will lead the line for Ajax as soon as this season if the deal is finalised.

Contract situation at Wolves

Arokodare is currently under contract with Wolverhampton Wanderers until 2029, with the agreement including an additional one-year option.

In England, he is reported to be earning an annual salary of €4,523,418, equivalent to 2,940,221,700 FCFA.

Those contractual terms have formed part of the final discussions between the parties as they seek to agree the remaining conditions of the loan and future option to buy.

All sides are now focused on resolving these last points, with Ajax hopeful of confirming the signing in the coming days once the paperwork has been completed and formal approval has been given.