Critics have come out in force to describe Manchester United new boy Odion Ighalo as a “desperation signing”, but IKENWA NNABUOGOR says the proven goal getter will again shame his doubters with goals for ‘The Red Devils’…
Manchester United pulled off one of the shock moves in England on transfer deadline day by signing striker Odion Ighalo on loan from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua for the rest of the season.
The former Udinese striker becomes the first Nigerian ever to play for the multiple Premier League champions.
Ighalo has arrived the red half of Manchester with great expectations as he’s expected to score goals to at least keep the team’s Champions League chances alive for next season.
The retired Nigeria international joined the United ranks as a stop-gap measure for injured club top scorer Marcus Rashford, who’s expected to spend more time on the treatment table.
As surprising and audacious as the shock move may seem to be, Ighalo, 30, knows the tough job he’s tasked to do and he’s not afraid to face it headlong.
Ighalo himself is no stranger for tough tasks like this – twice in the past, he faced it and came out smelling of roses and proving he was worth his mettle.
A move out of Norway to Udinese in the Italian top flight came with lots of difficulties tying down a first-team shirt which also continued at loan at Cesena, but it was in the lower leagues in Spain at Granada, that the 2019 AFCON goal king proved he could crack it anytime a tough task was thrown at him.
The move to Spain came with some history – not only did he score Granada’s way to La Liga from the Spanish third-tier league, he also scored the winner that brought Granada to compete with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the La Liga for the first time since 1975.
He also proved he is a goals machine in the Chinese top flight since he moved there three years ago.
Shocked and surprised as United fans across the world might be over his move, Ighalo will always remain a man on a mission. And smart money is always on him to deliver and he has yet to disappoint.
United are in desperate need for goals and an eye for a spot in Europe, since Rashford temporarily left with his scoring boots and goals from other members of the attacking line in pitiable short supply, Ighalo is looked upon to deliver the goodies.
This is where the onus lies and the major reason he became a ‘Red Devil’, and anything short of this will not go down well with the United faithful.
Confidently, he’s no stranger to the art of goal scoring – he’s been there, done that and this golden chance to wear the hallowed United colours will be fulfilled.
Expectedly, he has already been backed to shine with former Premier League ace Leroy Rosenior, ex-Fulham and Queens Park Rangers’ striker, confident Ighalo will do the talking with his boots at Old Trafford.
In three past visits to United in the colours of Watford before his Chinese adventure, Ighalo showed assured promise though he didn’t shake the nets.
Now he’s got the full licence to score and he will surely bring his scoring boots along.
He was magical at Watford and now he cannot afford not to deliver at a higher level like United.
