Wolves were reportedly forced to abandon their training session after the team’s striker sat in the middle of the pitch protesting his rejected transfer to the Serie A – a claim he has since denied.
Nigerian international Tolu Arokodare has been looking for his way back into a top flight league after Wolves were relegated from the Premier League last season, with the striker setting his sites on a potential move to Italian club Fiorentina.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Tolu Arokodare. Mike Egerton
The 25-year-old’s transfer hopes were dashed by Wolves last week after the club rejected the loan bid from Fiorentina as it did not meet their valuation, per the BBC.
In protest of that rejected bid, Arokodare sat down in the middle of the pitch demanding the club let him go and refused to leave the training ground.
Wolves manager Cesar Peixoto terminated the team’s training due to his act and also omitted the striker from the team’s friendly against Maidenhead United.
But Arokodare insists he did not disrupt the team’s training in the way it was reported.
“I was very surprised and disappointed to see the reports,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Throughout my career, I have always taken great pride in conducting myself professionally and maintaining the highest training standards.
“My commitment has always been to prepare myself as well as possible so that I can contribute to my teammates and the club whenever I am called upon.
“I remain under contract with Wolves, and my only intention is to fulfil my responsibilities professionally by training, doing my job and contributing to the team in accordance with that contract.”
The reported incident comes three months after Arokodare was fined for a physical fight in the dressing room with teammate Mateus Mane.
Arokodare joined Wolves on a $45m AUD deal from Belgian team K.R.C Genk. He scored just three goals in Wolves’ horror Premier League campaign last season.
It has been reported that Turkish club Trabzonspor will be the likely landing site for Arokodare before the transfer window closes, but that deal is not yet finalised.