Ex-Super Eagles star man Odion Ighalo says he could not afford to have a Manchester United player's name on the back of his shirt when he was growing up on the streets of Ajegunle in Lagos, Nigeria.
After the announcement of the deal, Ighalo's agent, Atta Aneke, posted an old photograph of his client wearing the 2005-06 blue United away shirt that Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney, and Cristiano Ronaldo donned in the League Cup-winning season.
“I had a United jersey but no player name on the back,” he told the United magazine.
“It was one of the old blue ones but definitely no name on the back. You have to pay to put names on the back and there was no money to pay for that! I just got the United top.
“It was a blue one but a long time ago. I can’t remember [which season] as I was very, very young.”
United supporters have quickly warmed to Ighalo, who has fond memories of watching the team in Nigeria. “It’s good. You have to go to an event centre and pay to watch the games.
“Any time United were playing, I’d go with my siblings. You’d have to pay to watch the games and now people are watching me and United. It is a big fanbase and it is growing even bigger.
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“Everybody is sending me messages saying they can’t wait to see me and watch the United games. I am very happy about that.”
This article was most recently revised and updated 3 years ago
