Former Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo has opened up on his dream move to the club in 2020.
The Nigerian was playing for Shanghai Shenhua F.C. in China when he was told that the Red Devils were after his signature.
He had previously played in the Premier League for Watford but had no expectation he would be joining a club of United’s stature.
Despite people not expecting very much, he became a bit of a cult hero and played 23 times for the club, scoring five goals before leaving in the 2020-21 season to Al Shabab FC in Saudi Arabia.
Commenting on the move in an interview with Nigerian Women’s star Rasheedat Ajibade, he claimed “my agent called me that Man United wanted a striker on loan because Antony Martial and Marcus Rashford were injured and they needed a back-up striker.
“I said what team? Did you say Manchester United? And he said they have like four options of strikers (to sign) and you are the third option and all that.
“I started praying against those other options and I said those other options will not work.”
United had other profiles in their sights like Joshua King, Salomon Rondon and Islam Slimani but they did not work out for one reason or another and his prayers were answered.
He went on to explain, “and two days after, my agent called me and said they wanted to go for me because the other options are not working and I said thank you God, thank you God.”
The 35 year old claimed he could not “believe his eyes” when he saw the contract offer from the club.
The move was even more special as Ighalo grew up a boyhood United fan in Nigeria and he claimed, “that deal was a dream come true for me because I’m a core Man United fan. So when that deal came, nothing anybody was talking about was entering my ears.”
The striker who currently plays for Al-Wehda in the Saudi Pro League, revealed that he took a pay cut but would have played for free as he just wanted “to wear that jersey.”
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Alex Browne
Alex is a huge Manchester United fan, inspired by greats of his homeland such as George Best, Harry Gregg and Norman Whiteside. Proud owner of such niche shirts such as Kleberson, Eric Djemba-Djemba and Gary Neville. Grew up pretending to be Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the back garden, with little success.
