Wolves face the prospect of Fifa sanctions for preventing Arokodare from training with team mates

ENGLISH Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers' is facing the prospect of Fifa sanctions after the club barred Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare from training with the rest of its squad over a bitter transfer dispute.

Arokodare, 25, was a £23m summer signing from Belgian side Genk last summer but with Wolves relegated at the end of the season, the club is now forced to sell many of its players. Arokodare has already informed Wolves that he wants to leave this summer but his departure has stalled because the club wants more than €20m to recover most of the money they paid Genk.

Serie A side Fiorentina remain interested and have reportedly submitted an improved loan proposal that includes a €22m option to buy the striker. Genoa are also monitoring the situation, while Turkish giants Trabzonspor had a bid accepted by Wolves before Arokodare rejected the move because he wants to continue playing in one of Europe's top five leagues.

In limbo, Arokodare has been removed from the Wolves pre-season squad until his matter is sorted out and yesterday, the club asked him to  leave the training pitch. However, Arokodare refused to leave the pitch, forcing the club to call off the session at its Compton Park training ground.

What began as a transfer disagreement has now turned into a disciplinary crisis that could even leave the Championship club facing problems under Fifa's latest player protection rules. According to journalist Nathan Judah, the incident has changed the atmosphere around the club.

He added: “I understand Wolves training was cancelled yesterday following Tolu Arokodare's refusal to leave the pitch when asked not to train with squad as Cesar Peixoto was seemingly not tolerating player power and poor discipline. Extra security was enforced today at Compton Park to make sure he was not at training ground and Arokodare will not be part of the squad travelling to Maidenhead United tomorrow night.”

The latest dispute is another chapter in what has been a difficult first season for Arokodare since his €26m move from Genk. He struggled to make the expected impact in England, scoring just three Premier League goals in 33 appearances as Wolves finished bottom of the table and suffered relegation to the Championship.

His problems extended beyond the pitch, however, as in April, he was fined and temporarily dropped after being identified as the aggressor during a dressing-room fight with teammate Mateus Mane following Wolves' loss to West Ham United. Meanwhile, Wolves have already decided to bring back experienced striker Raul Jimenez as a replacement for Arokodare.

Fifa's updated Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP), particularly reforms to Article 17, were designed to stop clubs from isolating players simply because they want them to leave. Under the new rules, clubs are no longer allowed to force contracted players to train separately from the main squad or place them in so-called bomb squads as a way of pressuring them into accepting transfers.

Players must continue training with the first team unless there is a genuine sporting reason or a documented medical issue preventing their participation. Sending established professionals to youth or reserve squads without a sporting justification is now considered an abusive practice.

If Fifa determines that a club has breached these rules, the consequences can be severe. Players remain entitled to receive their full salaries and benefits and they may also seek contract termination and leave on a free transfer instead of generating a fee for their club.

These regulations also give players direct access to Fifa if domestic football authorities fail to resolve disputes. Clubs found guilty could face financial penalties, transfer bans and other sporting sanctions and any unpaid wages would also attract an automatic 8% interest charge.

These reforms also prevent clubs from using pressure tactics such as withholding player documents or manipulating registration processes to force exits. That means Wolves' handling of Arokodare's situation could become more than just a transfer dispute.