Former Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo has candidly revealed that his 2017 move to Chinese club Changchun Yatai was motivated purely by financial reasons.
Ighalo left English Premier League side Watford for a £20 million transfer to the Chinese Super League, where he scored 36 goals over two seasons. Speaking on the Echo Podcast, the ex-Manchester United forward explained that the decision was a practical one, aimed at securing his financial future.
“I was 27 at the time and had already fulfilled my dream of playing in the Premier League,” Ighalo said. “Growing up in Ajegunle, I never imagined getting that far. All I wanted was to make enough money to change my family’s life and make them proud — and to play in the Premier League, which we watched religiously.”
He recounted watching matches in crowded viewing centers as a child, calling his Premier League stint a fulfilled dream. “That dream had already come true. So when the offer from China came, I saw it as an opportunity to secure my future — and I took it without hesitation.”
Ighalo added that Watford accepted the Chinese club’s offer before he had even made up his mind, due to the size of the bid.
“The club agreed to £20 million — no other team was offering that. I signed a four-year deal with Changchun Yatai, but stayed for two seasons and scored 36 goals in 53 or 54 matches. That performance earned me a move to Shanghai Shenhua on even better terms.”
After his stint in Shanghai, Ighalo made a surprise loan move to Manchester United, fulfilling a lifelong dream of playing for the club he supported as a boy.
“I played one year in Shanghai, then joined Manchester United on loan,” said Ighalo, who now plays for Al-Wehda in Saudi Arabia.
