My Mum Cried When I Told Her I Was Joining Manchester United – Ighalo

Nigerian striker, Odion Ighalo has said that he accepted a pay-cut to join Manchester United on loan from Shanghai Shenhua on deadline day.

Ighalo said even if some other clubs were interested, he jumped at the opportunity immediately he heard that Mufc are one of his suitors.

According to him, he was very excited to seal the move because he supports the club and it is a dream come true.

He added that his mum even cried when he broke the news to her.

His words, “Yeah, it was very dramatic. My agent called me the day before and said Man Utd. I would love to go,”

“A few other clubs had shown interest, I said please, just pick United, if it’s going to be possible.

“At 11pm in Shanghai, my agent called me [to say] that United want to do the deal, so I woke up that night and started looking for a translator to go to the directors’ room and hit his door and all that. I said: ‘My agent wants to speak to you, United are coming for me, you have to make this happen”

“So they started talking and discussing. I didn’t sleep throughout that night, because it was going to end at 7am, Shanghai time, and the transfer [window] is going to close there.

“So, from 11pm, there was paperwork, negotiating and all that, for the loan deal and all that, so we are talking and other teams are calling them, wanting me, but I told my agent that this is what I want. I want to come here. He said you’re going to get a pay-cut to go to United. I said: ‘I don’t care. Make this deal happen. I want to go to United. I don’t care how much is the pay-cut, I know that, make it happen’.

“So the director and everybody didn’t know what to say anymore, because I had already made up my mind, so my agent started putting it in order, and, at 5am, we finished.

“My agent said he’d forwarded all the papers to United, they will confirm for me if everything is okay. I think, around 5-6am, he said everything is okay, it’s done.

“I was excited. I called my mum and she was happy and crying. This is your dream and all that and I’m happy for you. It was dramatic, I didn’t sleep through, I was very happy that finally, we got the deal done.”

“I’m very happy. First, I want to say thank God for making this happen and it’s just like a dream come true for me, because I know many people used to say when they join a team, they say that they dream of playing for that team,”

“Mine was not the case. I supported the team when I was young. People that know me, even back in Nigeria, and even when I was playing at Watford, my team-mates knew that I loved Man Utd, I support them.

“When I played against Man Utd that emotion is there, because it is my dream. It is a nice reality, so I’m very happy and I’m looking forward to starting.”