Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo has shared the efforts he put up to meet the high standards at Manchester United FC as compared to Shanghai Shenhua.
Odion Ighalo opened up about the rigorous training regimen he undertook to adapt to the high standards of Manchester United after his loan move from Shanghai Shenhua in January 2020.
Having previously played for Watford in the Premier League during the 2015/2016 season, Ighalo turned down lucrative offers from the Chinese League to remain in England. However, his subsequent season didn’t yield the desired results, prompting a move to the Chinese side Changchung Yatai, where he enjoyed a prolific spell.
Following two successful seasons in China, Ighalo joined Shanghai Shenhua, where he continued to impress. However, an opportunity arose for him to fulfill his dream of playing for Manchester United on loan. Despite his enthusiasm, Ighalo recognized the need to elevate his fitness and performance to meet the demands of the Premier League.
In an interview with Oma Sports TV, Ighalo revealed the efforts he put into his training, even while his league in China was ongoing. He worked tirelessly to catch up with the intensity and sharpness required at Manchester United, undergoing additional sessions and personal training to bridge the gap.
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“There was a difference in level when I joined Manchester United. I played at Watford before for three years before I went to China. I played for three years there, but coming back to Manchester United was a big difference as you had to be sharp because the intensity was high,” Ighalo told Oma Sports TV.
“When I came (to Manchester United), I joined the training camp in Spain. So I started doing my own personal training to catch up even though my league was on in China.
“When they came back, I started training with them. I had to step up my game. I started working hard, I was working with one trainer in Manchester United.
“Sometimes maybe after morning training in the evening I would go there to do some work to be able to catch up. The level there was different.
“The training was not more than one and half hour, but it was sharp and tough. When I saw the tackles, I saw the running, I saw the sprinting, then I told myself that I was back to work, not what I was doing in China for three years.”
