OLE NABS IGHALO
But King’s a big loser in last-day scramble
MANCHESTER United dominated deadline day as their scramble to land a striker ended with the signing of Odion Ighalo.
After seeing a £25million offer for Bournemouth’s Joshua King dismissed, United reverted to a £3m loan move for 30-year- old Ighalo, the Nigeria and former Watford striker now at Shanghai Greenland Shenhua and all the logistical problems that entailed.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he wanted a striker ‘ prepared to break their nose to score a goal’, yet it looked as though United were going to be the ones left with the proverbial bloody nose as they lurched from one target to another this window. Southampton’s Danny Ings, PSG’s Edinson Cavani and Leicester’s Islam Slimani were among those filed under rejections.
Former United academy graduate, King, 28, was distraught as United moved on after Bournemouth asked for £30m and time to buy a replacement. ‘I know what Manchester United means to him with his history with the club, so I understand his position,’ said Eddie Howe with understatement.
There was more drama at AC Milan as Antone Robinson’s fairytale £10m move from Championship strugglers WIGAN collapsed. Milan had laid on a private jet and rolled out technical director Paolo Maldini to oversee Robinson’s arrival but the heartbroken 22- year- old emerged stony faced after his medical. As talks faltered, time was against them as the Italian window closed earlier at 8pm and the deal was called off.
WEST HAM agreed to pay Hull City £14m plus a further £8m in add-ons to secure striker Jarrod Bowen amid competition from Crystal Palace. David Moyes saw a number of approaches for right backs including Barcelona’s Moussa Wague fall through.
ASTON VILLA added Spanish forward Borja Baston from Swansea City on a short-term deal. Villa defender James Chester joined STOKE CITY on loan. MANCHESTER CITY full back Angelino joined Red Bull Leipzig on loan until the end of the season. There is an option to buy the Spaniard for £ 25m in the summer.
CHELSEA full-back Tariq Lamptey joined
BRIGHTON on a threeand-a-half-year contract after they agreed a £4m fee.
LEICESTER CITY signed Wolves defender Ryan Bennett on loan with view to a £5m dealeal which saw Filip Benkovic head to Bristol City on loan and their defender Taylor Moore to Blackpool.
WOLVES signed Rochdale teenager defender Luke Matheson in a deal worth £1m but he will remain on loan at Rochdale until the end of the season. Wolves winger Jordan Graham joined Gillingham on loan while defender Dion Sanderson went to Cardiff.
NORWICH CITY signed Sam McCallum from Coventry City in a deal worth £3m but will loan him back. TOTTENHAM’S Victor Wanyama saw approaches from Amiens and Leganes fall flat as they failed to agree loan terms. Spurs did allow Anthony Georgiou to join Bolton Wanderers on loan. SOUTHAMPTON defender Maya Yoshida signed for Claudio Ranieri’s Sampdoria. Ravel Morrison joined Middlesbrough on loan from SHEFFIELD UNITED for the rest of the season, his ninth club in six years. United had earlier confirmed the arrival of Dutch striker Richairo Zivkovic and Bayer Leverkusen defender Panagiotis Retsos, both
on loan. EVERTON goalkeeper Jonas Lossl made a surprise return to Huddersfield on loan.
BRENTFORD signed Oxford’s Shandon Baptiste and Tariqe Fosu-Henry. HULL CITY agreed a deal worth £1.5m for Motherwell forward James Scott while WEST
BROM agreed to pay £800,000 for Hull’s Kamil Grosicki. STOKE tried to take Chris Brunt on loan from Albion and WATFORD saw a bid of £ 15m rejected for Burnley defender Ben Gibson but signed his teammate Teddy Perkins.
Sheffield Wednesday agreed deals to sign CRYSTAL PALACE striker Connor Wickham and Wigan Athletic’s Josh Windass.