Odion Ighalo Says He Took Pay Cut to Join Manchester United in January

Odion Ighalo has revealed he was so determined to secure his loan move to Manchester United in January, he didn't bat an eyelid at having to accept a pay cut to facilitate it. 

Ighalo joined the Red Devils on the final day of the transfer window from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua, and he'll remain at Old Trafford until the end of the season.

The former Watford striker opened up on his move to United in first interview with MUTV:

Speaking to MUTV's Adam Bath, Ighalo reflected on his "dramatic" switch to the Premier League giants.

He said United were one of several clubs interested in signing him when he learned of their interest from his agent at 11 p.m. Shanghai time (3 p.m. GMT) on January 31, with the window set to shut at 7 a.m. (11 p.m. GMT).

Ighalo chose the Red Devils ahead of the other interested parties and told his agent to secure the move:

He described the move as a "dream come true" for him, and he is "really proud" to be the first Nigerian player to represent the club.

The 30-year-old is eager to give his all for the cause:

Ighalo has also identified what he can bring to United's play:

The striker signed for Watford from Granada in 2014, and he scored 20 goals in the Championship to help them get promoted in his first season at Vicarage Road.

In the his second campaign he hit 18 goals in all competitions, 16 of which were in the Premier League in an impressive season:

He left the Hornets in January 2017 having scored just twice in his first 20 games of the following season.

Ighalo notched 36 goals and eight assists in 55 games for Changchun Yatai before switching to Shanghai last year. Injury and his involvement in last summer's Africa Cup of Nations limited him to just 19 appearances, in which he scored 10 goals.

As signings go, he's not one United would likely have made in years past, but they were forced to dip into the market by Marcus Rashford's injury, so options were likely limited.

It's a low-risk short-term loan, so even if he does not manage to replicate the kind of form he displayed during his first Premier League season at Watford, United have lost nothing by taking a chance on him.

Ighalo hasn't played since the second leg of the Chinese FA Cup final on December 6, so it could take him some time to get up to full speed, but the Premier League's winter break means United don't play again until February 17.