Manchester United’s surprise January transfer window move for Odion Ighalo has been brutally mocked by former Premier League striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
The Nigerian forward secured a late loan move to Old Trafford this winter, with United looking pretty desperate for cover up front after losing top scorer Marcus Rashford to a lengthy injury.
Hasselbaink, however, was clearly pretty baffled to see the Red Devils go for a player like Ighalo, who had been playing in the Chinese Super League before linking up with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
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While the 30-year-old has played in the Premier League before in an impressive spell with Watford, it’s a big step up for him to return to England after some time playing at a considerably lower level in China.
It remains to be seen how Ighalo will get on at Man Utd, and fans will hope he can just do a decent job as a short-term cover.
Hasselbaink, however, sees this signing as a sign of how far United are behind their rivals.
“He must be the luckiest man!” the Dutchman is quoted by the Metro.
“Going to China, being away from Europe nobody seeing him for two and a half years since he was at Watford and then getting a loan move at United.
“Wow. That doesn’t happen! It says how far behind United are from Liverpool, Manchester City and even Chelsea. They have got a big job ahead.”
MUFC fans will certainly have been hoping to see a bigger name arrive, and Hasselbaink has suggested some alternatives who could have been good for the club.
He added: “They knew that they needed a new striker for a long time. I don’t know how much money that they have but it is Manchester United.
“Why, if you need goals straight away, are you not throwing money at [Danny] Ings for instance? He is flying is at the moment. Or Jimenez at Wolves – throw money at that.
“You were in the market for [Erling] Haaland. He chose Dortmund!”