Quique Sanchez Flores has warned Odion Ighalo will need a month to find his rhythm following his loan transfer to Manchester United.
Ighalo sealed a deadline day move from Shanghai Greenland Shenhua to Old Trafford until the end of the season, as Ole Gunnar Soslkjaer succeeded in his late scramble to sign cover for the injured Marcus Rashford.
Ighalo, who spent two and a half seasons at Watford before moving to China, scored 46 goals in three seasons in the Chinese Super League.
But Flores says the 30-year-old will need at least a month to recover his fitness and ready himself for the increased physical demands of top-flight English football.
He does not expect to see the striker, who has landed back in Manchester, making his first-team debut for a matter of weeks.
"Mainly, the problem is how they train in China," said Flores. "It is not the same as in England."
"Is he really ready for first-team matches in the Premier League because the physical difference is so big? He probably needs one month to recover the full rhythm.
"The good thing is he knows his body well, works hard on injury prevention and he is always working after training.
"I should say, also, that I felt in China, he gave exactly the same effort and quality as he gave me four years ago. We had the feeling in China that he could recover a high level with any team in Europe."
