Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Vitor Pereira was satisfied with the overall display of Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare in his EPL debut on Saturday.
Arokodare completed a transfer deadline day move from Gent to Wolves and made his anticipated debut against Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon.
The Super Eagles forward, fresh off netting the winner in his country’s 1-0 win over Rwanda in a World Cup qualifying match last week, began the game as the main striker in the absence of Jorgen Strand Larsen.
The 24-year-old received limited services from the midfield and struggled for majority of the match against the very physical Newcastle defenders.
He was substituted in the 66th minute, with Colombian international Jhon Arias coming on in his place.
Wolves poor start to the 2025/26 league campaign continued as they were beaten 1-0 by the hosts at St James’ Park.
Debutant Nick Woltemade headed in the game’s only goal in the first half to condemn the visitors to a fourth straight league defeat to start the season.
Wolves EPL campaign began with a 4-0 home defeat to former champions Manchester City, which was followed by a 1-0 loss away at Bournemouth on match-day two.
They however defeated fellow strugglers West Ham United 3-2 in the Carabao Cup second round, before going down by the same scoreline to Everton in the league, just before the international break.
What Vitor Pereira said about Tolu Arokodare
While speaking to the press after the match, the Portuguese expressed that he was impressed with the attributes displayed by the Nigerian striker during the match, hoping for improvement in his gameplay.
“After, we need a striker. We had one training with Tolu”, Pereira said.
“He’s a different player, he’s physically strong, he gives us the possibility to play long ball and to hold this ball and to give time for us to appear.
“He did well, of course he is not in the physical condition to do better”, he concluded.
