Startling reports at the weekend indicate that Barcelona of Spain have dusted their books and come out with a fat dossier on exploits enacted by Chagnchun Yatai of China striker, Odion Jude Ighalo during his days in La Liga with Granada.
Although it is now six years ago that Ighalo last played for Granada, sports247.ng gathered that Barca recall that he once scored against them, and they now want him to start scoring for them.
That is the crux of chain reactions that has now led The Catalan Giants in a shock move for the Super Eagles striker this month, as they seek cover for the exits of Munir El Haddadi and Denis Suarez.
With El Haddadi heading to Sevilla for €1mn and Suarez linked with a loan move to Arsenal, Barcelona would be left with Luiz Suarez as their only out-and-out striker.
Barca are said to be desperately in search of an inexpensive back-up to the Uruguayan striker, Suarez and they consider Ighalo as a valid option, among six other forwards in their radar.
Barca’s checks on Ighalo reveal that he had 73 La Liga appearances for Granada and his experience in the Spanish top-flight league is a big plus in the possibility of him joining The Blaugrana.
After leaving Spain, Ighalo played at Udinese of Italy and then Watford of England, where he scored 15 goals in 37 Premier League matches in 2015/16 and then 36 times in 55 games during his time at Yatai in China.
All these stats rank Ighalo as a striker who could be useful to Barcelona, especially as he is also the leading scorer in the Afirca Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Barca want a striker on loan at Nou Camp for rest of the season and the 29-year-old Yatai forward, who is already keen to return to Europe, since the relegation of his Chinese club, appears like the ideal choice to pick.
