Odion Ighalo training away from Manchester United: Here's why
What's the story
Manchester United forward Odion Ighalo is training away from the Premier League club this week as a precautionary measure following his arrival from China. United signed Ighalo on loan in the final stage of the January transfer window from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua for the rest of the season. Here's more on Ighalo and the latest developments.
Training
Ighalo has been training away from the club
According to a report in the BBC, United have decided on the policy because of the risk posed by coronavirus. The report adds Ighalo has been training with support from the club using a personalized fitness programme to get him ready for the Premier League game against Chelsea over the weekend. This has been done at the National Taekwondo Centre, where Ighalo is staying.
Coronavirus
Coronavirus has been declared a global health emergency
Meanwhile, the current medical advice is that travellers coming into the UK from specific countries, including China, quarantine themselves for 14 days. It has been 11 days since Ighalo has come to England. Reports claim that there have now been more than 60,000 cases of the new coronavirus worldwide. It has been declared a global health emergency. Death toll has surpassed more than 1,350.
Training camp
Ighalo missed the club's training camp in Spain recently
Recently, Ighalo missed the club's training camp in Spain because of fears the virus outbreak could lead to him being refused entry back into the UK. "He might have liked to have come with the players and got to know them," manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had told MUTV. "But the risk [of border restrictions tightening] we don't want to take."
Addition
He will come in and give us an option: Solskjaer
The experienced Ighalo scored 39 goals in 99 matches for Watford between 2014 and 2017. "Odion is an experienced player," said Solskjaer. "He will come in and give us an option of a different type of centre-forward for the short spell he's staying with us. A great lad and very professional, he will make the most of his time here."