Odion Ighalo, the Nigerian striker, made headlines when he joined Manchester United on loan from Shanghai Shenhua in January 2020.
He went into the 2019/2020 season chock-full of confidence after winning the Golden Boot at the AFCON 2019 tournament.
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Nigeria and Al-Wehda striker, Jude Odion Ighalo, revealed that he made financial compromises to join Manchester United on loan in 2020.
His journey to the Red Devils was marked by personal and professional sacrifices that highlighted his passion for the game and dedication to the club he supported as a child.
Marcus Rashford had suffered a back-stress fracture which meant he’d be out for a long period, and the then-United coach, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer was in the transfer market for a short-term fix.
Ighalo, who was at Shanghai Shenhua at the time, got a call from his agent that United were interested in his services.
“At 11 pm in Shanghai, my agent called me to say that United wanted to do the deal, so I woke up and started looking for a translator to go to the directors’ room and hit his door.
So, they started talking and discussing. I didn’t sleep throughout that night, because it was going to end at 7 am, Shanghai time, and the transfer window was going to close there,” the 2019 AFCON Golden Boot winner stated.
Upon joining Manchester United, Ighalo reportedly took a significant pay cut from his lucrative contract with Shanghai Shenhua.
While many players would hesitate to leave a high-paying job, Ighalo was willing to make this choice to fulfill his dream of playing for Manchester United.
Moving from China to the UK meant being away from his family, which was particularly challenging.
Ighalo expressed the emotional toll it took on him, but his dedication to the club and the chance to represent his childhood dream helped him cope with the separation.
“From 11 pm there was paperwork, negotiating and all that, for the loan deal, so we are talking and other teams are calling them, wanting me, but I told my agent that this is what I want.
I want to come here.
He said: ‘You’re going to get a pay cut to go to United.’ I said: ‘I don’t care. Make this deal happen. I want to go to United. I don’t care how much the pay cut is,” Ighalo summed up.
Ighalo’s loan span ended with five goals in 761 minutes of football for Manchester United.
Since then, he’s featured for three Saudi Arabian clubs – Al Shabab, Al Hilal, and Al Wehda.
Odion Ighalo’s move to Manchester United was not just a career highlight but a testament to the sacrifices athletes often make to achieve their dreams.
His story is an inspiring reminder of the dedication required to succeed at the highest levels of football.
