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Sports News of Wednesday, 27 January 2021

Source: soccernet.ng

What next for Odion Ighalo as he confirms Man Utd exit

Odion Ighalo has left Manchester United Odion Ighalo has left Manchester United

The former Super Eagles star’s future is uncertain after his one year adventure at Manchester United came to an end.

Odion Ighalo’s spell with Manchester United is finally over- the ex-Nigerian international and the club confirmed on their respective social media pages.

Ighalo achieved a childhood dream when he joined United on loan from Shanghai Shenhua last January. It was a deal that made headlines and excited many Nigerians as Ighalo became the first Nigerian to play for the Red Devils.

His career started quite well, scoring twice against Derby in the FA Cup and against Club Brugge and LASK in the Europa League.

However, his momentum was halted when football was suspended due to the coronavirus. It looked like Ighalo’s stay at Old Trafford would be short at that point as the loan deal was just till the end of May.

But United were able to agree a deal with Shanghai to extend Ighalo’s stay for another seven months. However, it did not go according to plan for the Nigerian star as he found himself sidelined for most matches.

Ighalo has only managed 157 minutes of action in all competitions this season. Nonetheless, while there would always be a debate over his final weeks at the club, Ighalo has lived a dream, and no one could take that away from him.

The former Watford star took to his Instagram page on Tuesday night to share his experience on representing the club.

Ighalo revealed he is sad to see his time at United come to an end, but he would forever cherish the moments he spent at the club.

With his time at Old Trafford now over, Ighalo’s next destination remains unclear. The 31-year-old’s contract with Shanghai expires in December, but he has been linked with a move to the middle east.

The ex-Granada man has also revealed his desire to play in the MLS, which could be a possibility. He recently posted a picture of himself in a private jet, hinting he already knows his next move.

A stay in the Premier League with another club has also been mooted, but that looks very unlikely. Nonetheless, Ighalo will reveal his next destination in the next few days.