Odion Ighalo, current player of Manchester United, has shared that during his childhood, he couldn’t afford to have his name printed on the back of his Manchester United jersey due to financial constraints.
Ighalo, who currently earns a weekly wage of 130,000 pounds at Manchester United, moved to the club from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua in January. He is reportedly in line for a new permanent contract based on his impressive performances for the club.
Reflecting on his past as a young boy growing up in Ajegunle, Ighalo expressed, “I had a United jersey but no player name on the back. It was one of the old blue ones but definitely no name on the back. You have to pay to put names on the back and there was no money to pay for that! I just got the United top. It was a blue one but a long time ago. I can’t remember as I was very, very young,” he revealed to Inside United, the official club magazine.
Additionally, Ighalo expressed his joy that more Nigerians are now able to watch Manchester United games due to his association with the club. “It’s good – you have to go to an event centre and pay to watch the games. Any time United were playing, I’d go with my siblings. You’d have to pay to watch the games and now people are watching me and United. It is a big fan-base and it is growing even much bigger. Everybody is sending me messages saying they can’t wait to see me and watch the United games. I am very happy about that,” he shared.
He also fondly recalled his first time playing at Old Trafford with former team Watford in March 2016, his second visit to the Theatre of Dreams. “When did I first set my eyes on it? It was in 2013 when I came to see the stadium, to visit it and go around, taking pictures outside the stadium. The first time I played there was for Watford in 2016. Manchester United is a big club. When I saw that, I was amazed. I was outside the stadium and I took pictures. Then I played there with Watford, against United, and it made me even more happy. I came out of the stadium and stood looking at it. This is the stadium you have been watching back home when you were young and now you’re playing here for Watford against Man United. It feels good. And even now, playing for United? It’s making even greater moments for me,” he explained.