Odion Ighalo signs for Manchester United: A panic buy or a smart move?

Premier League giants Manchester United were chasing a deal to bring a striker to Old Trafford after top scorer Marcus Rashford suffered a severe injury that ruled him out for at least 2-3 months. While many high profile names such as Raul Jimenez, Edinson Cavani and Krzysztof Piątek were linked with a move to the Theatre of Dreams, it was Odion Ighalo that fit the bill. It allowed the Nigerian striker to fulfill his childhood dream. The former Watford man returned to the Premier League on loan from Shanghai Shenhua.

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Odion Ighalo completes dream Manchester United move

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Odion Ighalo's career so far

Odion Ighalo moved to Manchester United on a loan deal. He provides much-needed depth in the attack with Manchester United only having Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood as their recognised strikers. Ighalo, after multiple loan spells during his time as a Udinese player, joined Watford on loan initially in 2014. Watford later made it a permanent arrangement. The Nigerian talisman formed a feared attacking partnership with fellow striker Troy Deeney. 

During his time at the Vicarage Road, Odion Ighalo made 99 appearances in all competitions, scoring 39 goals. He then moved to Changchun Yatai (Chinese Super League) for a reported £20 million fee. In China, the ex-Watford man scored 46 goals in 74 appearances. Manchester United would hope that Odion Ighalo can bring in some goals for the club. They have failed to score in their last three Premier League games.

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Why did Manchester sign Odion Ighalo?

Odion Ighalo offers Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a much-needed Plan B, considering that he operates differently than first-choice striker Anthony Martial. Ighalo is a presence in the opposition box and offers a set-piece threat. The ex-Watford striker is physically strong and is a fair dribbler. How Odion Ighalo adapts to the rigours of the Premier League remains to be seen, but he does offer Manchester United a decent stop-gap option.

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