Ajax striker Tolu Arokodare said in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws that he feels right at home at Ajax. He also spoke about team-mate Marcos Leonardo, saying he feels really bad for him because of what is being said and written about him and that he still has faith in the Brazilian.
Feeling settled at Ajax
In the Het Laatste Nieuws interview, Arokodare said he feels right at home at Ajax. GOAL said the 25-year-old striker has become hugely popular in Amsterdam.
Arokodare has scored nine times in 14 official appearances.
Arokodare said: "Maybe some people think it's an act, but it definitely isn't. Ask anyone who knows me what my defining quality is and they'll say: 'He has a big heart.' I want to be the man who wants the best for everyone."
Arokodare said: "If I hadn't scored those goals, they might have been less friendly towards me."
Backing Marcos Leonardo
Arokodare said he does not see Leonardo as a rival and still has faith in the Brazilian.
Arokodare said: "I feel really bad for him. When you see what's being said and written about him… I hope he doesn't take much of it in. Fortunately, his English and Dutch aren't great."
Arokodare said: "He'll score his goals, no doubt. Sometimes it's hard to shut out all that noise, especially as a striker. I struggled with that last season too."
Tough spell at Wolves
Arokodare said he had a "very tough time" during his spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Arokodare said: "I arrived at Wolves full of confidence. Somewhere along the way, I lost it. The team weren't functioning at all and the results were disappointing. No one can stand out in those circumstances. You want to stay positive, but it eats away at you."
Starting to feel like himself again
Arokodare said that at Ajax he is starting to feel like himself again.
Arokodare said: "I was still smiling, but my family noticed there was something behind that smile. I had lost myself. Thanks to their help, and the help of my mental coaches, my agents, my Ajax team-mates and coaches, I can feel myself becoming more and more like myself again."
