Manchester United legend, Paul Scholes, has questioned whether Odion Ighalo is good enough for the Red Devils.
The former Super Eagles striker, signed on loan from Shanghai Shenhua until the end of the season, is expected to join up with the United squad this weekend, ahead of Monday’s Premier League trip to Chelsea.
The striker has been training away from United’s AON Complex for the past two weeks as a precaution against the coronavirus, following his arrival from China.
United moved to sign Ighalo on deadline day as cover for top scorer Marcus Rashford, who is out for at least three months with a double stress fracture of the back.
But Scholes has questioned whether former Watford forward Ighalo, 30, has enough quality for Ole Gunnar Solskajer’s side.
“I don’t think he’s a signing for the long term,” said Scholes. “I think his scoring record in China is very good, but is it that credible? I don’t know.
“He’s an out-and-out centre forward and I don’t think United have an out-and-out centre forward. He’ll play with his back to goal and he might bring players into play.
“It’s good to have an extra body, but when you’re United, you want an extra body with quality, and he’s got that to prove.
“He’ll bring something different. I don’t see him starting many games.”
• Solskjaer backs Nigerian to be an instant hit
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists new signing Odion Ighalo does not need to know his Manchester United team-mates to be an instant hero at Chelsea on Monday.
Ighalo will only meet the rest of United’s squad for the first time on Sunday because the Nigerian striker has trained alone in ‘quarantine’ in Manchester following his move from China as a precaution in case he was carrying the coronavirus.
But despite missing United’s winter training camp in Spain, Ighalo, who joined on January 31, is in line to be on the bench for the Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge with United still missing injured leading scorer Marcus Rashford.
And United manager Solskjaer says the lack of knowledge of his new team and style of play does not mean Ighalo cannot make an instant impact.
“Well, it didn’t take me too long. I didn’t have a training session to come on and score!” Solskjaer said on Friday.
“As a striker you get thrown on out there and it might be he’ll have to come off the bench, give us a goal and he does whatever he’s done.
“He’ll be involved with us and travel down with us now he’s out of that precautionary two week period.
“We’ve kept in touch with him and of course we’ve done our own programme, he’s done his, and it was always going be a case of him having to integrate having been out in China.
“He needs to get used to the players, the team and up to speed as quick as he can.
“He’s been working really hard and pinching himself at times at joining his favourite club at the age of 30. But he’s earned that one and hopefully he impresses us so we can see him play.”
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