Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Richard Fay

How Manchester United hero surprised Odion Ighalo after signing

Odion Ighalo has revealed how Andy Cole gave him a surprise phone call on the morning of his move to Manchester United.

The 30-year-old forward completed a shock move to Old Trafford on January transfer deadline day after agreeing a loan move from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua.

Ighalo was initially brought in as a replacement for the injured Marcus Rashford but has already stunned many for his large contribution to the first-team.

The Nigerian has already netted four goals in just eight appearances for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side, and he has revealed how another United hero helped him settle in quickly to life at his boyhood club.

"I have a lot of memories of him [Cole] he’s one of the best goalscorers I’ve ever seen," he told the official club website.

"He scored a lot of goals for Manchester United. The way he finished was brilliant. I have learned one or two things from watching [old clips].

"It’s a privilege talking with Cole. Even when I signed for Manchester United he gave me a surprise call early in the morning to congratulate me and wishing me well even before I started training with the team.

"I cherish that the most. It’s one of those great things, an idol like that from Manchester United before I even started kicking a ball. I appreciated it so much."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.