Saudi Arabian club Al-Shabab have agreed to sign Nigerian striker, Odion Ighalo. The former Manchester United loanee had been on the books of Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.
Ighalo has been linked with moves to Dubai, the Premier League and the MLS but a switch to the Middle East is now close to being completed after the two sides agreed to a deal. The move is subject to him passing a medical after Ighalo was given permission to talk with the Saudi Arabian club.
It comes just days after his loan spell at Old Trafford came to an end and after he penned a heartfelt farewell to fans. The boyhood United fan said in a tweet: ‘It’s so hard to see this dream come to an end. ‘But I give God the glory for helping me fulfil this lifelong dream of putting on a Manchester United shirt as a player and represent this great club, it was indeed an honour I will forever cherish and be grateful for.
‘To the manager I say thank you for trusting and believing in me when many did not. To my amazing team-mate I will miss you guys, it was always fun… and I pray we win the league and FA Cup this year.
‘To the best fans in the world (the Manchester United fans) we have missed you, but we hear your voices cheering us on from afar, we can’t wait to have you all back in the stands. ‘I’m still and will remain a Manchester United fan forever. Once a Red, always a Red. Thank you Manchester United and God bless.’
The 31-year-old scored five goals across 23 appearances in all competitions for United, providing a low-cost, low-risk option up front, but was phased out following the signing of Edinson Cavani.
