Latest Man United News: The Red Devils fans celebrate their newest hero

The loan transfer of Odion Ighalo to the Old Trafford from Shanghai Shenhua in the final hours of the last January transfer window came as a huge shock to the football world.

Obviously, most Man United fans never envisaged their possibility of landing a proven striker in Ighalo especially after their attempt to reunite with their former striker Josh King fell through thus leaving the Red Devils supporters devastated.

Going by the reports reaching National Daily, the former Nigerian striker who previously established his striking prowess in the English Premiership with Watford scoring 39 goal in 99 matches for the Hmets could easily be seen as a ready-made United hero.

National Daily gathered that Ighalo had no hesitation in taking a pay cut to secure his dream move to the Old Trafford. This obviously is a characteristic of a Red Devils hero who knows what it means to be at the Theatre of Dreams.

Amazingly, Ighalo disclosed that he had interest from other clubs but he always had his sights on joining United National Daily further learnt.

“My agent called me the day before and said Man Utd. I would love to go. A few other clubs had shown interest, I said ‘please, just pick United, if it’s going to be possible’,” he told MUTV.

“At 11pm in Shanghai, my agent called me [to say] that United want to do the deal, so I woke up that night and started looking for a translator to go to the directors’ room and hit his door and all that. My agent wants to speak to you, United are coming for me, you have to make this happen and all that you know.

“So they started talking and discussing. I didn’t sleep throughout that night, because it was going to end at 7am, Shanghai time, and the transfer [window] is going to close there.

“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 is the pay cut, I know that, make it happen.”

Ighalo, a boyhood United fan saw his dream actualized when he became the first Nigerian to play for the Old Trafford club said: “I called my mum and she was happy, crying and all that. This is your dream and all that and I’m happy for you.

“It was dramatic, I didn’t sleep through, I was very happy that finally we got the deal done.”

With Marcus Rashford out injured for several months, the 30-year-old will be tasked with leading the line for United and trying to get them a top-four place in the Premier League.

“I never thought this was going to happen, but dreams do come true, so I’m very happy to be here and this is going to be a big and good challenge for me in my career.”

Meanwhile, the former Nigeria international has not failed to live out his dream of winning silverware with United this season.

“It’s going to be a lifetime experience, it’s going to be something I’m going to cherish all the years of my life because not only playing for Manchester United, but winning a trophy with them, is something different that’s going to be in my memories all my life.”