Manchester United of England manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has added another angle to reactions to the loan deal that will see Odion Jude Ighalo play for The Red Devils till the end of this season, as the Norwegian gaffer says the six-month agreement with his parent club, Shangha Shenhua of China, will be a huge boost to Nigerian football in general, megasportsarena.com reports.
Although Ighalo retired from the Super Eagles immediately after top scoring at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where his five goals in six matches helped Nigeria claim an unprecedented eighth bronze medal at the continental soccer showpiece , Solskjaer hinted that other players in the Nigerian team would be boosted seeing the 30-yewar-old striker play for United.
While Ighalo’s mother stated at the weekend that her son will not make a u-turn on his decision to quit the Eagles, Solskjaer went on to pine that playing for the Old Trafford side will also be a source of joy for Ighalo’s family, friends, fans and compatriots, as the ex-Man U star believes The Theater if Dreams provides the former Flying Eagles’ captain with the best glamour he could get back in England, where he previously played for Watford from 2014 to 2017.
Ighalo move to Changchun Yatai of China after failing to hit top form in his third season with Watford, then switch to Shanghai when his first club in the Chinese Super League were relegated after his second campaign with them, but Solskjaer says he is expecting big things from the star.
Solskjaer posited: “Of course, we want players here who want to give everything they’ve got and Odion I know from before. He played in Norway and he’s got such a lovely personality, a great character and he’s going to come in and be a big, big boost for himself, his family, his country, but also our group.
Solsdkjaer’s verdict comes few hours after another United legend, Dimitar Berbatov said he believes Ighalo can prove to be a big hit at Old Trafford, where the former Eagles’ star arrived in a deadline-day loan move from Shanghai until the end of the season and end Solskjaer’s search for a top striker, following injury copped by his preferred choice, Marcus Rashford.
Berbatov told Betfair: “Manchester United needed to sign a striker but I was still surprised when they brought in Odion Ighalo on loan. I think it’s a good move for United because Ighalo has played in the Premier League, and did well with Watford, so he will know what to expect.
“Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial both like to cut in from the left so United have arguably lacked a natural number nine this season. That’s what Ighalo should give them and I will be interested to see how they play with him in the side.
“He’s scored plenty of goals in China and his record for Nigeria is impressive too. I want to see him play as soon as possible because I’m curious to see how he will fit in to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans.”
