Former Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores has warned that it may take Odion Ighalo one month to get up to speed at Manchester United.
United signed Ighalo on loan from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua on winter transfers deadline day after failed attempts to sign Norwegian teenage sensation Erling Braut Haaland, and Bournemouth’s Josh King.
Under Flores, Ighalo scored 33 goals in 82 appearances for Watford before moving to China in 2017 to join Changchun Yatai.
Also Read – Neville: Ighalo Deal Shows Poor Manchester United Transfer Plans
But Flores has warned that things might not go quite as smoothly on Ighalo comeback in the English Premier League.
“Mainly, the problem is how they train in China. It is not the same as in England,” Flores was quoted by The Mirror.
“Is he really ready for first-team matches in the Premier League because the physical difference is so big?
“He probably needs one month to recover the full rhythm. The good thing is he knows his body well, works hard on injury prevention and he is always working after training.
“I should say, also, that I felt in China, he gave exactly the same effort and quality as he gave me four years ago. We had the feeling in China that he could recover a high level with any team in Europe.”
Ighalo who is being quartered at the The Lowry Hotel, Manchester following his arrival from China on Sunday, is expected to travel with the United squad to their winter training camp.
United have granted their players time off until they leave for their training base on Saturday.
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