Why I rejected FC Barcelona - Nigeria's Ighalo

Why I rejected FC Barcelona - Nigeria's Ighalo
Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo

by Staff Reporter

Saturday Jul 20, 2019. 09:00

Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo has opened up about passing up the chance to join Spanish champions FC Barcelona.


The lethal forward, who is on the books of Chinese club Shanghai Greenland Shenhua, knew that he would struggle for game time at Barca.


“I was holidaying in Nigeria when my agent called me and told me about it, looking at the bright side of it I scored 21 goals in the Chinese Super League and 4 or 5 teams wanted me even though my team got relegated, two or three teams in England wanted me,” Ighalo told Soccer Laduma.


”Going to Barcelona, I knew I wasn’t going to play because they were looking for a backup striker for Luis Suarez, there is no need for me going there to sit down on the bench for six months then six months finish what is the next step for me.


“If I don’t play no team is going to buy you, give you the kind of money you want. Then I got an offer from Shanghai Greenland Shenhua for a three-year contract.”


Ighalo, who moved to China in January 2017, has played in the English Premier League for Watford.


“I am 30 years old now, I have to think about my future and the future of my family. It’s better for me to sign a three-year contract than a six-month contract, I went for that,” he added


“People may say you are crazy, I played in Europe for ten years, I’m not in that top, top but I am satisfied with what I’ve done, for what I’ve achieved. I don’t carer what’s the name of the club, I think about what’s good for me and my family.”







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