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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Dominic Booth

Odion Ighalo names three Manchester United teammates who have helped him

Odion Ighalo has revealed that Juan Mata, David de Gea and Sergio Romero have helped him settle into life at Manchester United.

The striker on loan at United from Shanghai Shenhua repeated that he was living his dream at Old Trafford, as a boyhood fan of the club.

And he's settled quickly, scoring four goals for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But Ighalo is keen to finish the season with United and admitted the Spanish-speaking trio have made it feel like he's been with the club for years.

Speaking to fans during an Instagram live Q&A session, he was asked which players he felt closest to.

Ighalo said: "I have a lot of guys there who have helped me.

"The guys in the dressing room are very good guys. The first time I stepped my feet in that dressing room - wow. There are two or three players that took me and made me feel welcome and comfortable.

"After two or three days we started living like brothers, like I've been there for five years, laughing together and cracking jokes togher. Especially Juan Mata, De Gea and the other goalkeeper Romero, because they speak Spanish and I speak Spanish."

Ighalo's longer term future remains unclear, though United could pursue a permanent deal for the Nigerian international, something which he'd be open to.

But on the short-term, he said: "I'm living the dream, I'm happy, this is a big dream which I'm living. Seeing Man United from outside is different but when you're inside you know how big the club is, Manchester United is a very big club and it's a privilege for me to be playing for that team.

"And I'm happy, I want to finish the season well.

"I'm happy in Manchester, the weather is always raining but it's not crowded or too big like London."

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