Tolu Arokodare is a Nigerian professional footballer who was born on June 30, 2001, in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a striker who currently plays for the Valmiera FC in the Latvian Higher League.

 

Arokodare started his football career at the age of 13 when he joined the youth academy of the Lagos-based club, FC Ebedei. He quickly rose through the ranks and was promoted to the senior team in 2019. He made his professional debut for FC Ebedei in the Nigerian National League, the second tier of Nigerian football, and scored his first goal in his second appearance for the club.

 

In 2020, Arokodare was signed by the Latvian club Valmiera FC on loan from the Nigerian Premier League club, Kwara United. He made an immediate impact for Valmiera FC, scoring 15 goals in 19 appearances in the 2020 Latvian Higher League season. His impressive performances earned him the league’s Player of the Month award for August 2020.

 

In September 2020, Arokodare was called up to the Nigerian national under-20 team for the WAFU U-20 Cup of Nations tournament in Togo. He scored two goals in the tournament, including the winning goal in the final against Ghana, as Nigeria won the tournament.

 

Arokodare’s performances for Valmiera FC also caught the attention of several European clubs, and in January 2021, he was signed on loan by the German club, FC Cologne, until the end of the 2020-21 season. However, he struggled to make an impact in the German Bundesliga, making only two appearances for the club.

 

In August 2021, Arokodare returned to Valmiera FC on loan for the 2021 Latvian Higher League season. He has continued his impressive form, scoring six goals in his first eight appearances for the club.

 

Arokodare is known for his physicality, pace, and ability to score goals. He has been compared to former Nigerian international striker, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, and has been tipped for a bright future in European football.