Watford centre-back, Craig Cathcart, is looking forward to meeting up with his former team-mate Odion Ighalo when the Hornets play Manchester United in the Premier League later this month.
The Nigerian striker sealed a sensational loan switch to the Red Devils on the final day of the January transfer window from Shanghai Shenhua and could make his debut against the Hornets when they travel to Old Trafford in just over two weeks’ time.
Ighalo scored 39 goals in 99 appearances for Watford before his big money transfer to the Chinese Super League where he continued his impressive form, scoring 46 goals in 74 games for Changchun Yatai and Shenhua.
In an interview for the Manchester United website, Cathcart, who came through the United academy, says he was looking forward to seeing his erstwhile Watford teammate later this month and backs him to be a success in the Premier League once again.
“I haven’t spoken to him, but, as soon as he signed, I knew we were playing against United pretty soon,” Cathcart said.
“I’ll be looking forward to seeing him and having a chat, and seeing how he’s getting on, because he’s a great lad and someone I really enjoyed playing with.
“He can adapt. He’s got good link-up play if you do play with two strikers, and he can also hold the ball up if you want to go with the one striker. He can run the channels as well, because he’s got good pace and good strength and he’s always a threat in the box.”
Cathcart reflected on his time playing with Ighalo at Watford in the Premier League and said he was a player who always seemed up for big challenges, highlighted by his two goal contribution in a 3-0 win against Liverpool.
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The Northern-Irishman believes Ighalo has earned the right to play for the side he supported as a boy and that he will take his chance.
“I remember when we first got into the Premier League, the big occasions against the big clubs, he’d always look forward to them,” said Cathcart.
“And, if I remember correctly, he scored quite a lot of goals against the big clubs.
“So the fact that he’s going to be given the opportunity to play at United is just huge. He’s got every chance to have a successful spell there, because he’s a good player and he can score goals, definitely.
“I’m delighted for him, to be honest. I know it’s something that he’ll be really enthusiastic about, because he was an ambitious player.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for him and I’m sure he’ll do everything in his power to make the most of it.”
