Odion Ighalo’s agent Atta Aneke thought the striker would not join Manchester United a day before the Nigerian completed his deadline day loan move.
United have signed Ighalo, 30, from Shanghai Shenhua on a six-month loan deal to offset the loss of Marcus Rashford, sidelined until late March with a double stress fracture to the back.
Former Watford striker Ighalo is represented by the agent Aneke – an associate of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s agent Jim Solbakken – and United moved for Ighalo after they ended their fleeting interest in Bournemouth striker Joshua King, formerly a Solbakken client.
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Aneke admits he spoke with United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward late in the transfer window but felt on Thursday that United’s interest would come to nought. Late on Friday evening, the MEN and other Manchester-based journalists confirmed United had signed Ighalo on loan before the club’s official announcement.
“It’s been hectic,” Aneke told Aftenposten.”I talked to Manchester United’s top boss (Ed Woodward) for a few days in advance. It was quiet on Thursday, and then I got the impression that nothing would happen.
“Suddenly, in the middle of the day on Friday, things started to move. It was then at 11 o’clock in the evening in Shanghai. It was hectic phone business. Everyone had to stay awake until five or six in the morning in Shanghai.”
Aneke added he received a ‘nice message’ from Solskjaer congratulating him on the deal once it had been concluded. Ighalo grew up a United fan in Nigeria and idolised Treble winners Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke.
“He has been a United supporter since childhood,” Aneke explained. “It’s incredibly big. When he left for China, he did not expect to be brought to United as a 30-year-old. He’s an amazing person.
“If you see what he’s doing off the field… He has opened an orphanage with 20-30 kids who are now also allowed to go to school. Every month he sends money to widows from the area he is from in Nigeria. He is a person who is successful. He is not one of those who thinks of himself.”
6 Comments
I support your good luck bro .
And we know you can help solve the issue because you are not a duplicate but ighalo we know .
No wonder Ighalo has been growing from strength to strength as if it isn’t the same Ighalo we used to know.
I pity the person who is hating on a man who is the life support of 30 children and bread winner to as many widows. If all these crowd should turn their prayers against you, you will need more than dipping in the river Jordan 7 times before you recieve deliverance. LMAO
Ighalo should be made to come back to captain the Super Eagle. God is doing wonderful things in is life. I am positive that if he can forgive those Nigerians (including my good self) who wrote him off when things were not going right for him before Russia, then Super Eagle will surely reap the Lord gifts from him and put Nigeria to greater height in our National endeavors.
This is what happen to people who are generous with their gifts to humanity. God will never forsake them at the hour of their needs also.
Lets beg Ighalo for our collective forgiveness and let him return to play for Nigeria when is ready.
Ighalo is right now the Nigerian who is playing at a Top club in Europe . His coming to Man U not just to score many goals to help them reach champions league slot but also opens a way for future Nigerian players that might want to be looked upon by Manchester united and any tip club in Europe . Wishing you the best Odion
I am happy for ighalo . but coming back to SE he should forget it . nobody sack him he retire on his on . anyone that retire is not welcome back
Ighalo is in Manchester united today thanks to super eagles.Sometimes,this players allows emotion to get the better of them and take awful decisions,unpatriotic ones forgetting how important,the major roles the national team played to their success story.
Apparently,emerging top scorers in both the qualifiers to the African nations cup and the tournament proper brought his fading name back to limelight.However,finishing as top scorers ahead of the likes of Aubemayang ,Mane and Salah was all he needed to get back to reckoning at the world stage.Today he’s a Manchester united player thanks for his hard work and many thanks to Nigeria that gave him the platform to excel.
Admittedly,i used to be one of Ighalo’s heavy critics but i was proved wrong by his post world cup performances.Many of us his critics was taken aback by his resurgence and became a huge fan but was let down by his shock early retirement which incidentally came after gaining more fans across the country which is rather strange in my opinion.
However,I wish Ighalo good fortunes as he starts a journey to be the first Nigerian to wear the red and white strips,hoping he becomes an ambassador for his country which could open the doors to many more signings in the nearest future.Lastly Ighalo should know that the critics that led him to take that decision of quitting the national team,are the ones who made him to work tooth and nail to get to where he’s today.