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Tag: Odion Ighalo

  • Newcastle joins race for Ighalo

    Newcastle joins race for Ighalo

    English Premier League side, Newcastle United, has joined the race for Watford striker, Odion Ighalo’s signature in the summer transfer window.

    The Sunday People reports that  Hull City and West Bromwich Albion are other topflight sides seeking to take away the ex- Udinese striker from his English Championship side .

    The British newspaper says an interested suitor would have to meet his five million pounds valuation in order to lure him away from Vicarage Road in the summer.

    Ighalo, who captained the Flying Eagles at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, has scored 13 goals this year, allnigeriasoccer.com says.

    He is believed to be in the possession of an Italian passport, and will not count as a non European Union citizen if his move to the Premier League materializes.

  • Ighalo wins PFA award

    Ighalo wins PFA award

    Former Flying Eagles forward, Odion Ighalo, has won the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the month award in England.

    The Watford player was snubbed for the English Championship player of the month award, but won the PFA player of the month gong, which is widely considered a bigger recognition, africanFootball.com reports.

    “I was expecting the Championship player of the month because I scored seven goals in January, I was not happy not to win it but life goes on,” Ighalo told africanFootball.com.

    “I was named the PFA player of the month of January, this combines the English Premier League and Championship, at least I got the PFA award which I will cherish.”

    On his rush of goals, the former Udinese forward said he is delighted but his priority remains promotion to the EPL as he dedicated his goal against Blackburn Rovers to fans and family.

    “My priority is to help my team secure promotion to the premier league. I am happy the goals are coming,” he said.

    “The game against Blackburn Rovers was a difficult one, but I give God the glory for the goal. It is dedicated to God, my family and the fans for their support.”

     

  • Ighalo signs permanent Watford deal

    Ighalo signs permanent Watford deal

    Former Flying Eagles captain, Odion Ighalo, has sealed a permanent deal with English Championship side Watford.

    He will now stay with Watford till the summer of 2017 after he penned a two-and-a-half-year deal with “The Hornets” on Friday, africanFootball.com reports.

    He joined the team initially on a season-long loan from Italian Serie A side Udinese in the summer.

    He has scored three times in four Championship starts so far this season.

    The Nigeria striker said the target is English Premier League action next season after he grabbed his third for Watford in a 2-2 home draw with Nottingham Forest.

    Watford now lies second on the table with 25 points from 13 games, a point behind leaders Derby County.

    “Promotion is still our target, but it is too early to talk much about that. We just want to take it game by game, the league is difficult and very long,” Ighalo told africanFootball.com.

  • Ighalo signs permanent Watford deal

    Ighalo signs permanent Watford deal

    FORMER Flying Eagles captain Odion Ighalo has sealed a permanent deal with English Championship side Watford.

    He will now stay with Watford till the summer of 2017 after he penned a two-and-a-half-year deal with ‘The Hornets’ on Friday.

    He joined the team initially on a season-long loan from Italian Serie A side Udinese in the summer.

    Ighalo, 25, has scored three times in four Championship starts so far this season.

    The Nigeria striker said the target is EPL action next season after he grabbed his third for Watford in a 2-2 home draw with Nottingham Forest.

  • Ighalo happy with Watford debut

    Ighalo happy with Watford debut

    Odion Ighalo made his debut for Watford in Wednesday’s 0-1 loss to Coventry after joining from Udinese recently.

    The Nigerian striker came on as a substitute in the 68th minute and looked solid in middle for his new team.

    After the game Ighalo told the club website that he was happy to have made his debut.

    “I am here to play for Watford and help the team gain promotion to the Premier League.

    “I am happy for my debut and I am looking forward to more games,” kickOffNigeria .com quoted Ighalo as saying on the website.

  • Ighalo completes Watford deal

    Ighalo completes Watford deal

    Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo has completed a loan deal to Watford after he passed a medical yesterday, the player told AfricanFootball.com

    Bustling forward Ighalo sealed a season-long loan deal after he was certified fit by the English Championship side.

    “I have completed my loan switch to Watford. I passed a medical on Tuesday (yesterday) and the deal is completed, everything is okay. I am happy,” Ighalo told AfricanFootball.com

    “It’s going to be a new challenge for me. I have played in Norway, Spain and Italy. I want a new challenge and Watford gave me that.”

    Ighalo was Nigeria’s skipper at the 2009 FIFA Under 20 World Cup in Egypt.

    He is on the books of Serie A club Udinese but has in the past two seasons been shipped out on loan to Spanish club Granada.

  • Copa del Rey: Ighalo hits brace for Granada

    Copa del Rey: Ighalo hits brace for Granada

    Odion Ighalo all but qualified Granada for the next round of the Copa del Rey, as he scored twice to give the Andalusian side a 2-0 away win in the first leg, Round of 32 win over Segunda side, Alcorcon Ighalo,who has not had a starting spot for Granada in the league recently, was handed a starting place by Lucas Alcaraz, and the former junior international repaid the faith with a goal in each half.

    He scored the first goal in the 30th minute, and added a second with nine minutes left to play.

    The away win meant that the second leg, which Granada will host in two weeks’ time, may just be a formality.

    Before scoring a brace on Sunday, Ighalo had found the net only once for Granada, and that was in the 2-1 home loss to Atletico Madrid in a La Liga game late in October.

  • Ighalo’s goal lifts Granada

    Ighalo’s goal lifts Granada

    Former Flying Eagles skipper, Odion Ighalo scored the lone goal in Granada’s 1-0 win over Malaga at the Estadio Los Carmenes and hopes of survival in La Liga alive.

    Ighalo scored the only goal of the game after finishing with a right-footed past Wilfredo Caballero after getting on the end of Yacine Brahimi’s cross in the 28th minute.

    The visitors dominated possession, but Weligton and Roque Santa Cruz were both guilty of missing chances for the Andalusian outfit.

    In the end, the hosts were able to see out victory, which puts four points between them and Deportivo La Coruna in the drop zone.

    Meanwhile, the defeat sees Manuel Pellegrini’s side miss the chance to draw level on points with fifth-placed Valencia.

  • Ighalo targets EPL switch

    Ighalo targets EPL switch

    Granada forward, Odion Ighalo, is eyeing a move to the English Premier League at the end of the current season, as former club of Victor Moses Wigan and Swansea are keen on getting the services of the player.

    The 23-year-old is Granada’s top scorer last season, and currently on loan at Spanish side after finding his first-team chances limited at Udinese, Futaa.com reports.

    Swansea and Wigan are both thought to be weighing up moves for the skillful forward and Ighalo believes he is perfectly suited to the style of football in England.

    “I would be very happy to play in England and it is a dream for most players to play in the Premier League,” Futaa.com quoted Ighalo as saying at Sky Sports.

    “It has been one of my dreams to come to England and I hope that can happen this summer.

    “I have heard some clubs are interested in signing me and we will see what happens at the end of the season.

    “I think my style of football would be suited for England and I think I could be a success there.

    “I have played in Italy and Spain, but England is where is want to go and play having heard so many good things about the country.”

    Ighalo failed to add to his tally of three goals scored so far in the Spanish League, as Granada again spurned goal scoring chances in a 1-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao last Monday.