Newcastle lists Odion Ighalo for January transfer move

Returnee Super Eagles ace Odion Ighalo has been aded to the list of potentials being penciled down by Newcastle ahead of the January transfer window.

Ighalo, who has had previous spells in the Premier League with Watford and Manchester United, is currently playing for Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia.

Al Shabab have informally asked Ighalo if he would be interested should Newcastle come in for him, sky spors confirming that has been told he would seriously consider a move if contact is made.

Ighalo is the joint top scorer in the Saudi Professional League this season with nine goals. The Nigerian moved to the Middle East from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua after his loan deal at Old Trafford came to an end earlier this year.

Ighalo scored 40 goals in 100 appearances for Watford between 2014 and 2017 and netted five times in 23 games for United during his year-long spell at the club between January 2020 and Janaury 2021. Former Super Eagles coach just before he was booted out recalled Ighalo who had earlier announced his retirement from international football to the national team.  Ighalo it will be recalled scored a brace at the last Nations cup in Egypt as  Eagles edged out Cameroon the round of 16 and eventually made it to the third place defeating Tunisia by a lone goal.

Newcastle are working hard on a wish-list of players provided by Eddie Howe to improve their squad in January and try to survive in the Premier League.

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The new head coach and his staff have drawn up a catalogue of talent they would like to sign – but they have found themselves between a rock and a hard place as they try to balance the short-term task of survival and a longer-term vision that may include the Championship.

The club have been linked with a string of high-profile names from across Europe since the new Saudi Arabia-backed owners took over – and they do have the financial muscle to be able to afford them.