[LONDON] Manchester United signed Nigerian international Odion Ighalo on loan until the end of the season from Shanghai Shenhua in a last-minute move before the January transfer window closed on Friday.

Ighalo, 30, moved to China in 2017, joining Changchun Yatai from Watford, before moving to Shanghai last year.

United is short on striking options due to a back injury suffered by top scorer Marcus Rashford, with the England international expected to be sidelined for at least another month.

Ighalo scored 40 goals in 100 appearances for Watford in his previous spell in English football and United will hope he will be just as prolific as they try to chase down Chelsea for a place in the Premier League top four.

However, the dash to provide Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with another forward with seconds to spare before the deadline has provided more ammunition for fans critical of the club's recruitment policy.

United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward's home was targeted by disgruntled supporters with flares and graffiti earlier this week.

An attempt to bring Bournemouth forward Josh King back to Old Trafford, where he started his career, was rejected earlier on Friday.

Ighalo has scored 16 goals in 34 international appearances for Nigeria, including five as top scorer at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

AFP