The Super Eagles star joined United on deadline day from Shanghai Shenhua, but he is not in the squad that travel to Spain for a warm-weather training camp.
United travel to Spain on Saturday for a warm-weather camp. However, Odion Ighalo will not be part of the squad because it’s not known if he would clear UK immigration on return with the country set to tighten border restrictions on travellers who have been to China in the last 14 days.
This is as a result of the coronavirus outbreak that has plagued China and killed over 700 people. Ighalo arrived at Manchester from China last Sunday and has been undergoing a personal training regime with United squad currently on a winter break.
The club are not in action until February 17 and are set to go on a warm-weather camp in Spain but without their new signing.
This was confirmed in a statement on the club’s website:
“The club can also confirm that, due to the current situation in China, it has been decided that new signing Odion Ighalo will not travel to Spain as it is not guaranteed that he’d clear UK immigration on return should border restrictions tighten on travellers who’ve been in China within the past 14 days.”
“Odion will stay in Manchester on a personal training and fitness programme so that he will be ready to join in team training sessions when the squad return from the trip. This is simply a precautionary measure as the situation continues to be monitored.”
Speaking on the situation, Solskjaer revealed United are not willing to take the risk of allowing Ighalo on the trip, and also it gives him and his family the time to settle down properly.
“Odion will stay in Manchester, because he arrived from China in the last 14 days,“ Ole told United website. ”Because of the situation in China, we’re not sure if he’d be allowed back into England if he leaves the country again, so he’s staying here working with a personal coach, individual programme and his family then can settle in England as well. That’s a plus.
“Of course he might have liked to have come with the players and got to know them, but the risk [of potential border restrictions tightening], we don’t want to take that, he added.
Nevertheless, Ighalo will hope to make his debut when United return to action on February 17 in a Premier League clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.