Odion Ighalo to Do Whatever it Takes to help United

Odion Ighalo has vowed to do whatever it takes to help Premier League side Manchester United go “higher and higher”, adding that he is “getting better and better every day” despite not playing competitive football since mid-March.

Ighalo joined Manchester United on loan on the deadline date of January transfer window from Chinese Super League club side Shanghai Shenhua. Since he joined the Premier League club, the Nigerian forward has scored 4 goals and made three assists in 8 appearances. The coronavirus pandemic which interrupted the Premier League season on March 13 didn’t give him enough room to showcase himself fully.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the first era of his loan deal with Manchester United expired on May 31, meaning that he would have left the club on Sunday if Shanghai Shenhua had not lowered the conditions United must meet before they can extend Ighalo‘s loan deal. One of the conditions was that United must add a clause that they would buy Ighalo for over £20 million after the expiration of the extended loan deal. Shenhua had to drop the condition when it became obvious that Ighalo would not return to China anytime soon due to the ban on flights into China, a measure put in place to contain the dreaded coronavirus.

Odion Ighalo is happy

So, on Monday, June 1, Ighalo became the hottest news in the world of football when Manchester United and Shanghai Shenhua agreed to allow the Nigerian forward to continue living his dream at Old Trafford. After the period of uncertainty, Ighalo finally had the opportunity to extend his loan deal with United until January 31, 2021. In the spirit of such a feat, Ighalo pledged more commitment to the team and vowed to give his best.

“I’m really happy,” Ighalo told United’s official website. “It’s a dream for me to be here. I’m buzzing and ready to go. Since the first day I arrived, I made it clear that I wanted whatever it takes to continue that work.

“As I’ve said, since I was young, I’ve been supporting this club and playing for it is a dream. Now I’ve extended my loan, it makes it more even clear and I’m committed as I know, in my head, I’m here until January ending.

“I just want to work hard and enjoy it, support the team and do whatever I can to make us go higher and higher…

“I’m getting better and better every day. We have been training together the past two weeks now, so it’s getting close to the game. The sharpness is coming, the fitness is coming and everything is going well…

“I can’t wait for the league to start again. I’m really looking forward to it. We’re working hard and I believe we’re going to do great.”