How Manchester Utd New Signing, Ighalo Proves CAF Wrong

How Manchester Utd New Signing, Ighalo Proves CAF Wrong

By Tajudeen Amodu

Fifteen years after football fans witnessed the collapse of John Mikel Obi's transfer to Manchester United, Nigerians will finally get a chance to see one their own become a Red Devil.

Odion Ighalo, despite his goal prowess at the African Cup of Nations finals in Egypt and being the highest goal scorer during the road to the AFCON finals in 2019, Confederation of African Football shunned him in their African Best XI selection.

At 30, Odion Ighalo becomes the first Super Eagle to move to Old Trafford.

Born in a poverty-stricken Lagos ghetto, Ajegunle, Ighalo is a boyhood fan of United. He watched on TV as his striking favourites Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole helped them to the treble in 1999.

Fans in his West African nation closely follow the Premier League, which recruit some of the continent's best players.
Manchester United has a huge fan base in Nigeria and many believe Ighalo will be a success at Old Trafford having retired from international football on a high in 2019.

Ighalo finished as top scorer at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations before calling time on his international career at the end of the tournament in Egypt.

He produced seven goals to finish top scorer in the qualifying and his five goals and one assist helped Nigeria finish third last summer.

Many expected him to fade away in Asia after leaving Watford for Chinese Super League (CSL) club Changchun Yatai. But his pace, instinctive finish and ability to find space has helped him to relative success in China
Ighalo finished as the 2018 CSL's second-top scorer with 21 goals and despite an injury-hit season he scored 10 goals in 17 appearances for new club Shanghai Shenhua in 2019, helping them to FA Cup success.