Solskjaer hints at making Odion Ighalo’s Man Utd transfer permanent after stunning goal against LASK

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER hinted he could make Odion Ighalo’s Manchester United transfer permanent.

The Nigerian, 30, smashed in a stunning goal against LASK on Thursday night.

After juggling the ball on the edge of the area, he hit a rasping left-footed drive into the top corner to open the scoring in Austria.

The 5-0 win puts United on the brink of the quarter-finals, although all Europa League games for next week has been suspended due to coronavirus.

Ighalo joined on loan from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua on Deadline Day until the end of the season.

But after his impressive return of four goals in eight appearances so far, he is certainly staking a claim to be taken in on a permanent deal.

Boss Solskjaer said: “Odion has done really well since he came in and he’s enjoying himself.

“And he will improve and get better but he has qualities we saw in him and we needed and we will still need those qualities for next season, so let’s see what we will do.

“He’s a goalscorer and a striker, he doesn’t worry too much about all that nonsense; build-up play – that’s a joke, obviously.

“He knows his job and what his role in the team is, and he’s very good with his back to goal, great link player, but maybe the best thing about him is his personality, so he’s got the whole lot really.

“He had three touches before his fourth was the finish.

“All them touches were high quality but he had to make them to create space for himself.

“But the strike is on the half-volley, great timing, no one would have saved that one so anyone would have been proud of that finish.”

Goals from Daniel James, Juan Mata, Mason Greenwood and Andreas Pereira completed the scoring for the Red Devils.

But it was Ighalo’s strike that really caught the eye.

A smiling Solskjaer was spotted loving the fancy piece of trickery from his striker on the sidelines.

And on Twitter, plenty of Manchester United fans chipped in with their own comments hailing the ex-Watford man.

One said: “Absolutely phenomenal goal against Lask.. sign him up permanently!!!!”

Another wrote: “Boom! Sign him up!”

And a third added: “Sign Ighalo immediately please.”