Odion Ighalo celebrates after scoring against LASK in the Europa League. (Getty Images)
Manchester United signed Odion Ighalo on the deadline day of the January transfer window and he was United’s first senior loan signing since Radamel Falcao in 2014.
Ighalo, 30, who came through Prime FC’s youth system, had played for several teams in Italy and Spain before joining Watford in 2014. In his debut season at Vicarage Road, the Nigerian’s 20 goals in 35 games helped the Hornets get promoted to the Premier League.
After 40 goals in 100 games for Watford, Ighalo moved to China and racked up 46 goals in three seasons. United signed him on loan until the end of this season as a result of Marcus Rashford’s long-term absence from the team due to a back injury.
The Nigerian international had been in fine form prior to his move to Old Trafford, for both Shanghai Shenhua and the national team. He ended as the top scorer of the Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign and followed it with 5 goals in the tournament last summer.
The 30-year-old’s return to England with Manchester United came as a surprise but Ighalo has put on a superb show for the Red Devils.
He does not tend to join in the team’s build-up like Rashford and Martial but instead solely focuses on finding spaces inside the box. On the other hand, Rashford and Martial mostly attack from the left side of the pitch. Ighalo has given United with a presence in the box and has got his predatory finishes on point.
Most of his shots have come from inside the opponent’s penalty area and that, mixed with Bruno Fernandes’ craft has sharpened a blunt United attack. He has scored 4 goals in his last three starts under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and has been of immense help to the attacking unit.
Another aspect of Ighalo’s game, which has helped the team is his ability to hold up the ball and find a pass or a shot. In the Europa League meeting against LASK, he received the ball from the Portuguese playmaker and had three touches before finding the top corner of the opponent’s net.
In the FA Cup fixture against Derby County, Ighalo scored two and earned the man of the match trophy. But the ability to control the ball and make space for himself to score was the highlight of the game. He constantly troubled Derby’s defence by opening up spaces for himself with his touches, as evident from both the goals he scored in the fixture.
The former Watford man has done more than enough at Old Trafford and has been impressive with his lethal finishing instincts. His qualities are much needed for United and it remains to be seen if Solskjaer will sign him on a permanent basis after his loan spell comes to an end in the summer.
