The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Odion Ighalo

  • Ighalo wins EPL December award

    Ighalo wins EPL December award

    Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, has been named the English Premier League player for December after he scored five goals for Watford during the period.

    His manager at Watford, Quique Sanchez Flores, was also voted the top manager for the month, africanFootball.com reports.

    Ighalo scored in a 2-0 win over Norwich City. He was the match winner at Sunderland, before he netted a brace in a big win over Liverpool at Vicarage Road.

    His goal against Chelsea was chalked off by the Dubious Goal committee, but he returned to score against Tottenham Hotspur on December 28.

    Nigerian-born England international, Dele Alli, Mezut Ozil (Arsenal), Romelu Lukaku (Everton) and Riyad  Mahrez (Leicester) were also nominated for the award.

  • Ighalo wins EPL award

    Ighalo wins EPL award

    Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, has won the Premier League’s African Player award for December.

    In a statement issued by the award organisers, New African Soccer, Ighalo was so impressive in his performance that there was “very little need for a shortlist to be announced.”

    “Ighalo spent December scoring goals for his team. He scored in all six games played in a packed December schedule of fixtures, including games against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham. This is a very remarkable feat,” africanFootball.com quoted the Award director, Tunde Adelakun, as saying in the statement.

  • I’m not leaving Watford – Ighalo

    I’m not leaving Watford – Ighalo

    Watford striker, Odion Ighalo, has dismissed speculation linking him with a move away from Vicarage Road.

    The Super Eagles striker has scored 14 Premier League goals this season and, according to reports, has attracted interest from Atletico Madrid.

    “I want to finish the season strongly with Watford and prove that we have a good bunch of players here,” the 26-year-old told the BBC.

    “When the focus is on a strong finish, transfer talk will not get to you.”

    Ighalo, who joined the Hornets from Udinese in 2014, scored more goals in English league football than any other player in 2015.

    And his tally of goals in the 2015-16 Premier League is bettered only by Leicester’s Jamie Vardy and Romelu Lukaku of Everton.

    “I haven’t really bothered myself about statistics because I’ve always had my feet on the ground and I never forget where I come from,” Ighalo said.

    “I am just focused on getting better, doing things right on the pitch and being myself on the pitch.”

  • Watford will not sell Ighalo

    Watford will not sell Ighalo

    Watford on Friday issued a statement insisting that Nigeria striker, Odion Ighalo, is not for sale “under any circumstances.”

    The winter transfer window opens on Friday, africanFootball.com reports.

    Watford lies eighth on the English Premier League table thanks largely to the 14 goals scored by Ighalo for the Hornets.

    Ighalo has been linked with a transfer to Spanish side Atletico Madrid as well as Italian club Roma with Atletico credited with a 12 million pounds bid for the 26-year-old striker.

    He also turned down “a crazy deal” from China before the start of the season.

     

  • Atletico Madrid prepare massive bid for Ighalo

    Atletico Madrid prepare massive bid for Ighalo

    Officials at the Spanish La Liga side, Atletico Madrid, are preparing a massive £12 million bid for Nigeria international Odion Ighalo after they watched him five times this season.

    Spanish media reported that Ighalo is a summer target to replace Jackson Martinez, who cost the club £25 million from FC Porto but has disappointed this season.

    Ighalo, who played for Granada for three years, has been a major player for English Premier League side, Watford, scoring 20 goals to help the club secure promotion to the EPL last season and has notched 14 goals this term, africanFootball.com reported.

    He has also been linked with Italian club Roma.

    However, Watford manager, Quique Sanchez Flores, has maintained the club hopes to hold on to the striker this season.

  • Ighalo, Deeney are real threat – Hiddink

    Ighalo, Deeney are real threat – Hiddink

    Chelsea new boss, Guus Hiddink, has admitted that Nigeria international Odion Ighalo and fellow Watford striker, Troy Deeney, will be threats to his team when they  clash in an English Premier League game on Boxing Day.

    The Dutch tactician also said he has a lot of respect for Watford’s achievements in the Premier League so far, africanFootball.com reports.

    Watford goes into the game on the back of four consecutive top-flight victories.

    “I have a lot of respect for Watford. The team is very disciplined and have two very strong strikers in (Odion) Ighalo and (Troy) Deeney,” africanFootball.com quoted Hiddink as saying on Watford.

    “The strikers are very dangerous and have shown that frequently this season.

    “I have lots of respect for what Watford has done but hopefully things can go positively for us. We need a sequence of positive results.”

    “Teams like Leicester, Crystal Palace and Watford are near the top of the league.

    “That means all the teams can kill each other. You have seen the games for the last six months, any team can beat any other.”

     

  • Siasia considering Ighalo, Musa for Olympics

    Siasia considering Ighalo, Musa for Olympics

    Olympic Team Coach, Samson Siasia, has hinted he is looking at the possibility of getting Super Eagles skipper, Ahmed Musa and striker Odion Ighalo to feature at next year’s Olympics as overage players.

    FIFA allows three over age players to feature at the Olympics, africanFootball.com reports.

    Chelsea star Mikel Obi has already declared his interest to play in the Olympics.

    Siasia said he hopes to draft players playing regularly for their European clubs for the Games.

    “I’m still undecided on the areas that the overage players would be needed, but I’m happy that the likes of Ighalo (Odion), (Ahmed) Musa, are in top form now and I hope they will sustain it until the Olympics,” africanFootball.com quoted Siasia as saying during a television programme.

  • WCQ: Eagles will not underrate Swaziland – Ighalo

    WCQ: Eagles will not underrate Swaziland – Ighalo

    Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, has insisted Nigeria cannot afford to take Swaziland lightly in Friday’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Lobambo, Swaziland.

    Ighalo, who has scored seven goals in the English Premier League, said there are no longer minnows in world football.

    “There are no small countries in football and so I will prepare to play against Swaziland as I would against Arsenal,” he told africanFootball.com.

    “I will give 101 per cent whenever I play for my country.”

     

  • Ighalo misses out on EPL award

    Ighalo misses out on EPL award

    Watford striker, Odion Ighalo, lost out on the Premier League Player of the Month award to Manchester United teenager, Anthony Martial, when the result was announced on Friday morning.

    The Super Eagles striker had been nominated for the prestigious accolade after scoring three goals for the Hornets in the Premier League last month, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

    The Player of the Month award has been won by Nigerians four times in the past, with Peter Odemwingie, now with Stoke City, accounting for three.

    Ighalo and his Watford teammates welcome Arsenal to Vicarage Road in the Premier League on Saturday.

  • Ighalo hopes to score against Arsenal

    Ighalo hopes to score against Arsenal

    Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, has said he hopes to score against Arsenal in Saturday’s English Premier League game.

    Ighalo has scored five goals in eight EPL games and netted one of the goals when Nigeria beat Cameroon 3-0 in last weekend’s friendly in Belgium.

    “Our target is to try and play good football, defend well and take any opportunities that come our way to score goals. My target is to help my team play well and score goals,” Ighalo told africanFootball.com

    “Arsenal is doing well at the moment, so it won’t be easy, but we hope for the three points.

    “Yes we are ready to go, it’s not going to be easy for us. Arsenal plays the best football in England but we are going to try and do something in the game.”

    The former Udinese forward said his preparation ahead of the game is not special.

    “Nothing special or different in the way I am preparing for the game, it’s the same way have been getting ready for all my games. But I am sure the coach has his tactics for the game,” he said.