Manchester United have made a shocking move just minutes before the end of the January transfer window with the signing of Nigeria international Odion Ighalo on loan until the remainder of the season.
The 30-year-old striker, who was playing in the Chinese Super League, will join the Old Trafford side on a season-long deal with no option to buy. This will be a short-lived four-month stretch where he will have one task, and one task only: to replace Marcus Rashford as the club’s main scoring threat.
Sure, Ighalo does not profile as a striker who will turn heads with his resume or his play. But we can’t deny he joins Manchester United in good form. He was the CSL’s second-highest scorer with 21 goals in 2018. Even though he was limited to 17 appearances in 2019, he still notched 10 goals for Shanghai Shenhua. Plus, Ighalo has experience in the Premier League. He used to play for Watford a few years ago.
For what is worth, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is happy with his arrival.
“Odion is an experienced player,” said Solskjaer. “He will come in and give us an option of a different type of centre-forward for the short spell he’s staying with us. He is a great lad and very professional, he will make the most of his time here.”
One thing is clear, though. The Red Devils needed to do something considering Rashford will be out for several years with a stress fracture on his back. Joshua King was their preferred target, but Bournemouth were unwilling to sell him unless they could find a replacement. And they didn’t, so The Red Devils needed to find alternatives. Ighalo might not fit in the team’s long-term picture since he is 30 already. However, he could provide a boost down the stretch.
At the very least, he should be an upgrade over youngster Mason Greenwood. Nothing against Greenwood, but he lacks experience. Something Ighalo has in abundance due to his trajectory and recent successful moments with the Nigeria National Team. Ighalo was the top scorer of the 2019 African Cup of Nations ahead of names such as Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez and Mohamed Salah.
Some fans might not understand the rental of Ighalo, and that’s okay. After all, he is United’s first senior loan signing since Radamel Falcao’s arrival from Monaco in 2014. But there’s a clear idea behind this signing. United needed cover upfront, and they needed a cheap player willing to accept his role while knowing he wouldn’t be part of the team past this season.
By all accounts, Ighalo ticks all the boxes. Now it’s time for him to do what he does best while wearing United’s red. That’s scoring goals and terrorizing opposing defences.
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