Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Man United will try to sign Odion Ighalo permanently after his fourth goal

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says the club will try to sign Odion Ighalo on a permanent basis after the striker scored his fourth goal in eight games on Thursday evening. 

The Nigerian continued his excellent start to life at United with a fine solo effort in the 5-0 Europa League victory over LASK in Austria, a game played in front of no fans due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ighalo controlled a delightful through ball from Bruno Fernandes brilliantly, before taking three touches in the air and rifling an effort into the net off the underside of the bar. 

The strike was openly admired by Solskjaer and his team-mates on the touchline and the United boss says the player has already shown enough to warrant a place in the squad next season.

‘Odion has done really well since he came in and he’s enjoying himself,’ Solskjaer said following the game.

‘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.’