Odion Ighalo has expressed his delight as many Nigerian football fans dump their favourite clubs to start supporting Manchester United because of his loan switch to the Premier League giants from Shanghai Shenhua, Completesports.com reports.
Ighalo has been overwhelmed by a flurry of positive reactions which his move to United has generated back home in Nigeria.
“It was crazy because, all over the news for the last few days, is about my deal to Man United,” he said in his first interview with the Manchester United media on Wednesday.
Also Read – Ighalo: How I Had Sleepless Night In China Sealing Man United Deal
“Even the street I grew up on, they are doing parties, celebrating Ighalo signing for United. They sent me the video, I was just laughing and happy, because many of them are supporting Man United and some of them are supporting some other teams in the Premier League.
“But they said, because of me, they are moving to United, because they have a very big fan-base in Nigeria. So I am happy about all this and they are rooting for United from now on.”
And on being the first Nigerian to play for United, Ighalo added: “I’m really proud. I’m happy because people keep sending me messages, I know that this is very big, you’re going to be the first Nigerian to play for United, it’s a good record for you in your career, I know that.
“I know that, after you finish football, you are going to know what we are talking about, because I’m just so emotional right now, so I don’t think about those things too much. I just want to get started and get playing and start helping the team to do well.”
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COMMENTS
The signing of Odion Ighalo from a Manchester United supporter perspective is obviously one I hope succeeds but the idea of the Nigerian fanbase swelling off the back of his signature begs the question what will they do should he not succeed and returns to China after the loan spell is over?. I will be optimistic and assume he is going to be a huge success so that our new Nigerian friends will stay with us well beyond Odions stay and for all their football supporting lives