Manchester United's Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Scott McTominay, Odion Ighalo Update

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said Scott McTominay will join the squad for warm-weather training, but new signing Odion Ighalo won't make the trip amid border concerns.

McTominay, 23, has been absent since he suffered a knee injury in the 4-1 Boxing Day win over Newcastle United, but he will travel to Marbella, Spain, after progressing faster than expected in his rehabilitation.

Solskjaer told MUTV: "Scotty has done better in his recovery than we thought, so we will take him with us. Hopefully he can join in the training sessions and Axel [Tuanzebe] as well, he'll join in, so that's two positives and it's a good chance for them to use this time with the players."

The Scotland international was establishing his place as a critical member of Solskjaer's lineup prior to his injury, and the Red Devils will be desperate to see him return in midfield.

Ighalo joined the Red Devils in January on loan from Shanghai Greenland Shenhua for the remainder of the season, but there are fears his potential exposure to the coronavirus crisis could see him struggle to get back into England if he were to leave.

The 30-year-old won't travel to Spain as a precautionary measure in case border regulations are tightened on those who have travelled to China in the past 14 days.

Solskjaer added:

"Odion will stay in Manchester, because he arrived from China in the last 14 days. Because of the situation in China, we're not sure if he'd be allowed back into England if he leaves the country again, so he's staying here working with a personal coach, individual programme and his family then can settle in England as well. That's a plus.

"Of course he might have liked to have come with the players and got to know them, but the risk [of potential border restrictions tightening], we don't want to take that."

The manager brought in Ighalo as a temporary replacement for Marcus Rashford, who suffered a double stress back fracture in January and will also miss the warm-weather training camp.

The former Watford frontman has been open in the past regarding his support for United, and Ighalo told the club what it means to be given his chance at the Theatre of Dreams:

He scored 10 times in 19 appearances for Shanghai during the 2019 season and is hoping to revive the same marksmanship that saw him bag 15 times in 37 Premier League outings for the Hornets in 2015-16.

It's possible Ighalo could make his debut when United travel to Chelsea on February 17, more than two weeks after it was announced he would be moving to Old Trafford.

Fellow winter signing Bruno Fernandes made his United debut in a 0-0 home draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the club hoping their new faces can spur them on to a successful end to the campaign.

News of McTominay's progress will be just as welcome for fans, who will hope he can also prove his fitness before United resume action at Stamford Bridge in Week 26 of the Premier League season.