Odion Ighalo
Odion Ighalo, the Manchester United striker, has said he was in bed with just a towel on when the 20-time EPL kings came for him on transfer deadline day.
Ighalo made a last-minute January move from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua to join United – after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer secured his services on a loan move until the end of the season.
The Nigerian has now recounted the late drama involving his move.
“I was in my bedroom in Shanghai in a hotel,” he told Sky Sports.
“Two days before that I had some news about Man United. My agent called me and said Man United and all that but I was thinking, ‘Man United… I’m in China; it’s the last day of the transfer window.’
“I called my agent, he said he hadn’t heard anything, so I said, ‘well, I’m going to go to sleep, it’s not going to happen.’
“Then my phone rang and my agent said, ‘United are coming for you. Where are you now?’ I said ‘I’m in my bed, I’m about to go to sleep.’ It was like 11pm there.
“I had a towel around my waist and got up, tied my towel, opened my door and went to the translator’s room because the director doesn’t speak English.
“I said, ‘Man United want to speak to me.’ I said, ‘it’s Man United, make it happen. This is a dream for me.’ Even my agent was shaking. I said, ‘you have to make this happen, I don’t care what it’s going to take. Just make it happen, I want to sign.’”
Ighalo’s arrival divided opinions within the football community, with some pundits and ex footballers questioning the move.
But recent performances in United colours have forced many of his skeptics to eat their words.
The Nigerian has bagged three goals in seven appearances for the Red Devils.