Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare has broken his silence following reports that the club cancelled training sessions due to his conduct. Arokodare stated on Instagram that he has maintained the "highest professional standards" throughout his career and intends to fulfill his contractual obligations with the club.
The controversy unfolded when new manager Cesar Peixoto instructed Arokodare not to train with the first team on Monday. In response, Wolves reportedly hired additional security to prevent the 25-year-old from accessing their training ground, Compton Park, on Tuesday.
Arokodare, who spent last season with Wolves as they were relegated from the Premier League, posted, "My commitment has always been to prepare myself as well as possible so that I can contribute to my team-mates 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."
On Wednesday evening, Arokodare was not part of the squad that traveled to Maidenhead for a pre-season friendly, which Wolves won 1-0. He had initially not joined the team for their warm-weather training camp in Portugal, but was later included following an injury to forward Adam Armstrong.
This incident follows a previous disciplinary action against Arokodare in April. He was involved in a physical altercation with teammate Mateus Mane after a 4-0 defeat to West Ham. Despite this, both players shared supportive posts on social media in an apparent effort to de-escalate the situation.
New manager Cesar Peixoto, who joined Wolves in June from Portuguese club Gil Vicente, has indicated his intention to manage the team with a firm approach. In his first interview, Peixoto described himself as a demanding coach who believes in granting players freedom and responsibility while fostering a cohesive team environment. He emphasized his desire for an organized team, both with and without the ball, characterized by intensity, aggression, and a high-pressing offensive game. Peixoto also aims for the team to exhibit ambition, strong character, and a winning mentality.
Arokodare, who joined Wolves from Genk last summer, has reportedly been frustrated by the lack of progress on a potential loan move to Torino, with Genoa also expressing interest. He scored three Premier League goals during the previous campaign.
The events involving Arokodare occur amid new FIFA regulations introduced in June. These rules, agreed upon with FIFPRO, the global players' union, aim to protect players from practices deemed abusive, such as demoting them from first-team training or isolating them without genuine sporting justification. Clubs could face penalties if they violate these protections, which prevent banishment from training solely to pressure a player into seeking a new club. The Daily Mail Sport has contacted Wolves, Arokodare's representatives, FIFA, and FIFPRO for comment.