The Sports Guru
A Wolves training session was abandoned on Monday after striker Tolu Arokodare reportedly refused to leave the pitch. Read on to understand why he stopped the session, what club he wants to join, and what it means for new boss Cesar Peixoto barely weeks into the job.
A training ground does not usually need one player's cooperation to keep running, until it does. Wolves' Monday session was cancelled after striker Tolu Arokodare sat down and refused to move, with BBC Sport told he was demanding the club let him join Fiorentina. Wolves have rejected that bid. They had already accepted an offer from Turkish club Trabzonspor. The 25-year-old will not feature in Wednesday's pre-season friendly at Maidenhead United as a result.
A Manager's Authority, Tested Early
The stand-off lands squarely on Cesar Peixoto's desk. The 46-year-old, capped once by Portugal as a player, took over at Molineux last month in a surprise move after replacing Rob Edwards, arriving from Gil Vicente with the job of returning Wolves to the Premier League at the first attempt. Peixoto is the one who terminated Monday's session once Arokodare refused to leave the pitch. Whatever the eventual outcome of the transfer saga, the manner of this week's stoppage is his first real management call to be made in public, and it was forced on him rather than chosen.
The Fee Behind the Frustration
Arokodare signed from Genk for £24m last summer, a significant outlay for a Wolves side that went on to finish bottom of the Premier League and suffer relegation. His return on that fee was three league goals, with six across 38 appearances in all competitions last season. Set against a £24m fee, that record helps explain why a Championship-bound club might be willing to let him leave for Trabzonspor rather than fight to keep him, even as he pushes for Fiorentina instead.
Not the First Flashpoint
Monday's incident is not an isolated one. Arokodare was disciplined in April following a confrontation with young forward Mateus Mane. Taken together with this week's refusal to leave the training pitch, a pattern is emerging of a player whose conduct has repeatedly become the story at Molineux, rather than his performances.
Two Clubs, One Player, No Resolution
The situation now sits between three parties pulling in different directions. Wolves have accepted Trabzonspor's offer. Arokodare reportedly wants Fiorentina. Wolves have rejected Fiorentina's bid. Nothing in the reporting suggests when, or how, that disagreement gets settled, and Arokodare's continued absence from first-team involvement, starting with Wednesday's friendly at Maidenhead, suggests it will not be resolved quickly.
Peixoto took this job to end a relegation season, not to referee a transfer dispute in his first month. How he handles it may say more about his Wolves tenure than any friendly result against Maidenhead United.
Frequently Asked Questions
Striker Tolu Arokodare refused to leave the training pitch on Monday, and new boss Cesar Peixoto ended the session as a result.
BBC Sport has been told he sat down and demanded that Wolves let him move to Fiorentina.
Wolves have accepted an offer from Turkish club Trabzonspor, while rejecting a bid from Fiorentina.
No. He will not be involved in Wednesday's pre-season friendly as Wolves continue their preparations.
Wolves signed him from Genk for £24m last summer, before he scored three league goals in a relegation season.
Research: Our wider editorial research consults online reporting from BBC Sport, Sky Sports, The Guardian and other reputable sources. Story inspiration: BBC Sport's original report.