Man Utd signing Odion Ighalo is ‘desperation’ says pundit
Manchester United new boy Odion Ighalo has thanked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for bringing him to Old Trafford. The Nigeria international completed his loan move from Shanghai Shenhua on transfer deadline day and will be expected to provide goals.
Manchester United boss Solskjaer swooped for Ighalo on transfer deadline day after missing out on Bournemouth’s Josh King.
The Red Devils had hoped to bring the Cherries hitman back to Old Trafford but ended up giving up after Eddie Howe’s side demanded £40million to let their star asset go.
United then went for Ighalo and, now, the Nigeria international has thanked Solskjaer for placing his faith in him.
“It’s been crazy,” he told Sky Sports. “I am happy to be in Manchester first.
“This is a great opportunity for me. I’m grateful to God, for my agent and to the coach who gave me this opportunity to be here.”
When quizzed on how it felt to be a United player, he added: “It’s a dream come true.
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“Since I was a kid I dreamed about Man United. This is reality now. I can’t say much now, when I get started.”
Ighalo was signed by United after Marcus Rashford’s injury.
The England international was ruled out for three months after sustaining a double back fracture in the 1-0 FA Cup win over Wolves.
And Solskjaer feels the Nigeria international can offer a new dimension to his side’s attack, saying: “He’s a different type of striker - a proven goal-scorer, a physical presence.
“It gives us a chance to rest Mason (Greenwood) and Anthony (Martial) at times. We want to go far in the Europa League, FA Cup. It was important we have another type of striker to use.
“Marcus (Rashford) is out for a little while and with him back we’re a different team.”
Meanwhile, United legend Gary Neville has slammed the club’s decision to bring Ighalo in.
The 44-year-old told Sky Sports: "They just needed a body in that area. Rashford's going to be out for another couple of months.
"I can't let the club off the hook though, unfortunately. Romelu Lukaku told us a couple of weeks ago that he had said he was going to leave last February or March.
"That's nine months to be able to manoeuvre and get into a position to sign a striker for the club for the long-term. And yet they have ended up desperately doing one on Deadline Day.
"The boy may do very well. He might come in and settle in, he might score goals and do a job for the club.
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"But the fact that the club were in that position, knowing that Sanchez and Lukaku were leaving for many, many months, tells us that Manchester United, at this moment in time, are struggling to navigate through the transfer market smartly."
Ighalo could make his United debut after the winter break, with the club in Premier League action against Chelsea on February 17.
The Red Devils have already beaten the Blues twice this season in the Premier League and Carabao Cup respectively.
In their league game, United won 4-0 at Old Trafford with Rashford bagging a brace.
And the England international struck a sublime free-kick to settle their Carabao Cup clash back in October.