Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits Manchester United could sign Odion Ighalo on a permanent transfer.
Nigeria forward Ighalo sealed a loan move to Old Trafford on transfer deadline day and could make his Manchester United debut on Monday night against Chelsea.
Eyebrows were raised at the last-ditch January move, with the 30-year-old previously enduring a mixed spell in the Premier League at Watford.
But Solskjaer expects Ighalo to impress for Manchester United between now and the end of the season and says he could sign a permanent deal with the club.
‘It’s a loan, but when you’re in the door and if you impress it gives you a chance,’ Solskjaer said. ‘That’s exactly the same for everyone who signs if it’s permanent or it’s a loan.
‘If you impress as a player, if you impress as a person, if you can help this group improve, then of course there’s a chance that we’ll look at extending things.
‘That doesn’t just go for Odion, but since you asked, yes, of course his incentive is to play as well as he can. And it’s up to us to make sure that he’d want to stay if we wanted him.
‘I think he’s probably pinching himself at times, because he’s now at his favourite club at the age of 30.
‘Hopefully he’ll prove to you what I think he will. He’s a proven goalscorer, so he’ll do all right.’
Ighalo was one of two new additions to Solskjaer’s first-team squad in January, with Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes completing a £67million move from Sporting.
And the Red Devils boss added: ‘I’m very happy with the two guys we’ve brought in.
‘To finally have got Bruno over the line, to have signed him after following him for so long, just seeing what he can give us and what he will give us, it has been great.
‘It will be good to integrate Odion as well.’
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