Manchester United forward, Odion Ighalo, has revealed that he was naked in bed trying to sleep when he got the call about his transfer to the club a year ago.
The former Nigeria International recalled how he rushed around a Shanghai hotel after being told Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s side wanted him.
Ighalo penned a six-month loan deal with the Red Devils back in January 2019 which was then extended for a further six months.
He will return to Shanghai Shenua, when his contract comes to an end today, January 31, 2021.
Ighalo, 31, told the official Manchester United Podcast, “My agent told me he wants to see if I can go on loan to the UK, Manchester United were looking for a short loan, they were looking for a striker as Marcus Rashford was injured and he asked ‘what do you think about that?’
“I said ‘what club did you just mention?’ and he said ‘Manchester United’. Since that day he mentioned this name I did not sleep. He said I wasn’t the only option as they have four or five other options.”
The former Super Eagles star said he prayed every night asking God not to allow United to take any of the other strikers but him.
He said a day before the transfer window was shutting down, his agent called him again saying the United were interested having failed to secure their other targets.
“I remember I was naked in bed trying to sleep when I got the call [from my agent] and he told me to get up and get changed.
“I ran out of my room and knocked on my director’s door, he couldn’t speak English, so I went to the translator and he said ‘what’s going on?’” He added.
According to the former Watford front man, United sent the offer and his agent showed him the offer and he saw the club’s logo on headed paper, noting that he was shivering and praying that the deal happened.
“They then they negotiated, talked about the contract, my head was heavy. I was panicking, looking at the news, wanted to see what was going on,” he said.
Ighalo said about 6am when he got the message saying the contract signing was successful, he was lying in bed, crying and calling his mother