How Man Utd could line up with transfer deadline day signing Odion Ighalo as Solskjaer finally gets a striker

ODION IGHALO'S arrival at Old Trafford may not be a January Deadline Day signing to get Manchester United fans' pulses racing.

But if the 30-year-old former Watford marksman can help fire them into the top four, cult hero status could be achieved at the Theatre of Dreams.

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United didn't replace Romelu Lukaku in the summer - and Marcus Rashford's injury has left Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scrambling around for an extra option upfront.

A move to bring Josh King back from Bournemouth failed to get moving, leading to Red Devils' chiefs' attentions turning to Ighalo.

The Nigerian, a bit of a forgotten man on these shores, was once a prolific goalscorer in the Premier League with Watford.

He bagged 16 goals in his first Premier League season with the Hornets - forming a lethal partnership with Troy Deeney.

And while his career in England rather fizzled out after that, he has remained prolific in the Chinese Super League, netting 36 in 55 games for Changchun Yatai - before a further ten in 19 for Shanghai Shenhua.

With 19-goal top scorer Marcus Rashford injured for the foreseeable future, Ighalo could be just the man in the meantime to finish off the chances created by £55million fellow new boy Bruno Fernandes.

A settled back four of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and Brandon Williams ahead of David de Gea can offer a platform for the Red Devils' more creative players.

With Nemanja Matic, enjoying an English football Indian summer in his final months at United, partnering the resurgent Fred - United actually have some steel in the middle of the park.

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And then things get exciting further forward. Ighalo's arrival allows Anthony Martial to move back to the wide left position in which he has terrorised various right-backs since arriving at Old Trafford.

Nippy Dan James can continue stretching teams down the right, with Fernandes becoming their new talisman playing in a number ten role.

The 25-year-old provides United with creativity, excellent set-piece delivery and fantastic technique - a far cry from what Jesse Lingard has provided in the first half of this season.

With that verve behind him, Ighalo won't be able to help but sniff out chances and converting them into goals.

And things will get even better when United's many absentees return to fitness.

Eric Bailly has impressed when fit at United, and his long-awaited return to action should get more out of Maguire.

Then with McTominay returning to the base of midfield, Fernandes and record-signing Paul Pogba will have license to haunt opposition players with their passing ability, flair and eyes for goal.

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Rashford and Martial flanking a confident Ighalo could be a recipe for goals - and bring back the Red Devils' fear factor.

People may be sceptical now, but Ighalo may just make himself indispensable in his six months at Old Trafford.

Whether or not he'll just become a fond memory, or someone that fans end up begging to sign permanently come the summer, Ighalo's time at Old Trafford should be fun.