Manchester United's on-loan forward Odion Ighalo is "pinching himself" after securing a move to the Premier League club that he supported as a boy and could make his debut against Chelsea on Monday, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Friday.
The 30-year-old Nigerian agreed to take a pay cut to secure a loan move to Old Trafford from China's Shanghai Shenhua until the end of the season on transfer deadline day last month.
But he was forced to miss their training camp in Spain over fears he may not clear UK immigration on their return should border restrictions tighten due to the coronavirus epidemic, putting a doubt on his participation on Monday.
"I never said he was going to be ready to play on Monday, he'll be involved with us and he will travel down with us," Solskjaer told a news conference.
"Now he's out of that two week period, precaution and just a precaution... let's see if he's involved or not. We've kept in touch with him and we've done our own programme, he's done his.
"He's probably pinching himself at times at his favourite club at the age of 30 but he's earned that one... as a striker you get thrown on out there and it might be he'll have to come off the bench and get us a goal."
Record signing Paul Pogba remains sidelined following ankle surgery while fellow midfielder Scott McTominay (knee) and the defensive duo of Axel Tuanzebe (thigh) and Timothy Fosu-Mensah (thigh) are not ready to play yet.
Solskjaer was asked about comments made by midfielder Fred in a recent interview where the Brazilian said that the team lacked cohesiveness.
"This group sticks together, don't worry about that," Solskjaer said.
"Fred knows this group wants to give everything together. I don't know how to interpret what he said but no issues at all or within the group."
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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