Andy Cole believes Manchester United could not have asked more of Odion Ighalo in his short time with the club.
The on-loan striker, who United signed from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua on January deadline day, has scored four goals already for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side. He slotted straight in and there is already talk that United could seek to extend Ighalo’s stay.
And speaking to the Nigerian striker on a video call that was shown on United’s official pages, former Old Trafford frontman Cole admitted how impressed he’s been.
“I am really pleased with him,” said Cole.
“When you come to a club like Manchester United as a centre forward, everyone expects you to score straight away, but it takes a little bit of time.
“And like Odion said himself, he wasn’t fit and was just coming in from pre-season in China.
Read Also: Chelsea Players Agree £10m Pay Cut Amid Coronavirus Crisis
“I think he has done pretty well when he has been given the opportunity, he has applied himself really well in the club and has scored four good goals, four centre forward goals, you can’t ask for much more.”
The words will be music to the ears of both Solskjaer and Ighalo, the 30-year-old who has previously admitted Cole and former United strike partner Dwight Yorke were his footballing idols growing up.
“Well, I had a lot of football heroes,” said the striker.
“When I started supporting Man United, Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole were my heroes growing up.
“It is a great privilege for me to play at Man United, where great players like Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole have played.
“They were great strikers and scored a lot of goals.
“So I would watch their movements, the way they played, the way they created space for themselves, watching the way they met crosses behind defenders. I learned all of that and it has helped me a lot in my football career.”
