Following Paul Onuachu’s deadline day move to Southampton, Belgium Pro League side, KRC Genk have snapped up another Nigerian, Tolu Arokodare, from Amiens to replace the departing big man, Sports Extra reports.
Arokodare penned a four-and-a-half-year deal with Genk after the club beat competition from Belgium Pro League rival, Anderlecht.
The 22-year-old striker shares same physical attributes with his countryman Onuachu, standing at just one inch behind the 6ft7in new Southampton front man.
Both are also very deadly in the air.
The deal is reported to be worth €4.5m and could rise to €7m at the end of the contract.
Arokodare is regarded as the best replacement by the club’s head of football, Dimitri De Condé.
“He is already showing flashes of his class today. In addition, there is a lot of stretching to it. Under the wings of our technical staff, he is going to be able to make big steps forward in the coming years. We have proven with several other young talents that KRC Genk is the ideal environment for that,” Conde said.
Arokodare expressed delight at completing the move.
“I am very happy to be in Genk. At this point in my career I can’t imagine a better club,” he told the club’s official website.
“Together with the team I hope to continue the good results of the first half of the season and to win prizes. Paul leaves big shoes to fill. But I am determined to give 100 per cent for this great club.”
After his youth career in Lagos, Arokodare joined Latvian club Valmiera in June 2019. The following season, he was loaned to German Bundesliga club FC Köln for the 2020–21 campaign.
On June 28, 2021, Arokodare joined Ligue 2 club Amiens on a two-year loan deal with an option to buy.
