United sign Ighalo to cover for striker shortage on deadline day

LONDON: Manchester United made a surprise late addition to their squad on deadline day by bringing in 30-year-old Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo on loan from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua until the end of the season. There were, however, no eye-catching major deals in the final 24 hours of transfer activity for European clubs which continues the trend of recent January windows.

None of the top four in the Premier League made any late moves at the conclusion of a low-key month, with some of the players who had been linked with possible deadline day moves staying put after proposed deals failed to materialise.

France’s World Cup winner Olivier Giroud remains at Chelsea despite reported interest in the ex-Arsenal striker from several clubs surprisingly including London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Wales international Gareth Bale, left out of the Real Madrid squad again for this weekend, was also rumoured to be a possible Spurs target but stays with the Spanish club.

Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani, who had been linked with Chelsea and David Beckham’s new Major League Soccer club Inter Miami also ended the day staying put at Paris St Germain.

Ighalo, who will offer cover for United’s injured forward Marcus Rashford, has Premier League experience having scored 33 goals in 82 games for Watford before moving to Chinese Super League club Changchun Yatai and then Shanghai.

West Ham United brought in highly-rated striker Jarrod Bowen, 23, from Championship club Hull City on a 5-1/2 year deal, while Sheffield United followed the signing of Sander Berge with the capture of Dutch forward Richairo Zivkovic.

Zivkovic joins Chris Wilder’s high-fliers on loan from Chinese club Changchun Yatai but the Blades have an option to make the move permanent.