Aston Villa rejected the chance to sign former Super Eagles striker, Jude Odion Ighalo just 24 hours before his shock move to Manchester United.
The 30-year-old Nigerian international completed a dramatic late move to Old Trafford on Deadline Day as United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scrambled to get a striker in before the transfer window closed.
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Ighalo is currently being signed on an initial six-month loan deal for £3million from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua, with the Red Devils paying a third of his eye-watering £300,000-a-week wages.
According to Sky Sports' Jim White, Ighalo could have joined Villa – but the Midlanders turned down the opportunity to bring him in.
Boyhood Manchester United fan Ighalo has flown into Manchester on Saturday to join up with his new team-mates after sealing his dream move, which has an option to be made permanent in June.
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Since he did not fly out of Wuhan, the region hit by the Coronavirus, Ighalo will not have to go into two-week isolation.
This article was most recently revised and updated 3 years ago
