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Watford’s in-form striker Odion Ighalo had said yesterday that moving to Manchester United would be a “dream” - and the Nigerian has outscored all of the United forwards in the Premier League this season.
Ighalo has netted 14 goals in the top-flight for ninth-placed Watford this term, that’s four more than the combined total of 10 recorded by United’s forwards Anthony Martial (5), Wayne Rooney (3) and Memphis Depay (2).
Speaking of the speculation linking him with United, Ighalo said told The Sun : "There has been speculation from Spain and Italy but I've played there and now want to play in England.
Show all 11 1 /1111 forwards let go by Manchester United 11 forwards let go by Manchester United Robin van Persie - sold to Fenerbahce - summer 2015 In 13 league appearances since joining the Turkish outfit Van Persie has scored five goals. It's hardly a stunning return but it's still more league goals than any Manchester United players this season.
11 forwards let go by Manchester United Angel Di Maria - sold to PSG - summer 2015 Di Maria became arguably the biggest flop in Premier League history when just a year after joining for a British transfer record fee of £59.7m he left. So how's the player who pretty much sums up what Manchester United are missing - pace, creativity and experience - getting on at PSG? In his 12 Ligue 1 appearances he's scored four goals - the same at United's top scorer Juan Mata has in the Premier League. But more impressively the Real Madrid player has six assists in the league. With three goals in five games in the Champions League as well, the Argentina international is showing Van Gaal might have made a mistake in letting him go.
11 forwards let go by Manchester United Radamel Falcao - loan not extended - summer 2015 Jose Mourinho backed himself to get the best out of Falcao after the Colombian's awful time at Old Trafford. But the Special One has been too occupied trying to figure out what's wrong with every other Chelsea player to give the striker the attention he needs. It's resulted in just one goal for Falcao this season and no appearances since the end of October.
11 forwards let go by Manchester United Nani - sold to Fenerbahce - summer 2015 It felt like Van Gaal never gave Nani a chance, loaning the Portugal international to Sporting Lisbon soon after arriving and then selling him to Fenerbahce. In 13 league appearances this term the 29-year-old has scored five goals. Considering Manchester United received just £4.25m for letting him go, it might have paid off to have kept him at Old Trafford.
11 forwards let go by Manchester United Javier Hernandez - summer 2015 The Mexico international featured in three games for Manchester United at the start of the season, with his most memorable contribution a penalty miss that left Van Gaal giving Ryan Giggs a look that spelled the end. But since leaving for Bayer Leverkusen in a £7.3m deal the 27-year-old has been on fire. In 18 games for his new side he's scored 13 goals - including goals in six consecutive matches. The player known as Little Pea has actually scored more goals than the entire Manchester United squad since the start of October.
2015 Getty Images
11 forwards let go by Manchester United James Wilson - loaned to Brighton - summer 2015 Van Gaal hasn't consigned Wilson's Manchester United career to the scrap heap just yet but he did send him to the Championship for the season. He's only made two appearances for high-flying Brighton but at the weekend showed just what he's capable of with a brilliant solo goal that sparked a comeback win from two goals down.
2015 Getty Images
11 forwards let go by Manchester United Adnan Januzaj - loaned to Borussia Dortmund - summer 2015 The Belgium international looked set to flourish at Old Trafford when David Moyes put him into the first team but his progress stalled and Van Gaal loaned him to Dortmund to gain some more experience. 10 games are yet to a yield a goal for the 20-year-old.
2015 Getty Images
11 forwards let go by Manchester United Wilfried Zaha - sold to Crystal Palace - winter 2015 David Moyes didn't fancy Zaha and loaned him out and Van Gaal thought even less, sanctioning the forward's permanent sale to Crystal Palace midway through the season having already loaned him to his former club. Three goals last season and two this term suggest Manchester United aren't missing out on much.
2015 Getty Images
11 forwards let go by Manchester United Bebe - sold to Benfica - summer 2014 Probably the weirdest signing in Manchester United's history has unsurprisingly done little since leaving for Benfica. He was loaned out last season where in 18 appearances at La Liga side Cordoba he didn't score a single goal and the team were relegated. Incredibly he's managed to wangle another loan spell with a La Liga side this season and even more surprisingly he's actually scored a goal for Rayo Vallecano.
2015 Getty Images
11 forwards let go by Manchester United Shinji Kagawa - sold to Borussia Dortmund - summer 2014 Despite much fanfare upon his arrival at Old Trafford it never quite worked out at Manchester United for the Japan international and soon after Van Gaal arrived he returned to Borussia Dortmund. Last term he scored just five times but this season is looking far more promising with the same number of goals to his name already.
2015 Getty Images For MAN
11 forwards let go by Manchester United Danny Welbeck - sold to Arsenal - summer 2014 The sale of the England international to one of Manchester United's biggest rivals was perhaps the most controversial transfer deal of Van Gaal's reign. Welbeck has been beset by injury problems since his move to the Emirates although he was fit enough to help dump Manchester United out of the FA Cup last season with a goal in Arsenal's 2-1 win at Old Trafford. Last season he scored eight goals in 34 appearances while he is yet to play this term.
2015 The Arsenal Football Club Plc
"I don't think I will be moving but I'm not sure I'd say no if United called. They were my team growing up. I loved watching Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke on TV.
"They were my idols and playing at Old Trafford has always been a dream."
Ighalo's Watford take on Newcastle in the FA Cup on Saturday.
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