---
title: "Manchester United: Odion Ighalo shirt number revelation gets fans excited over striker transfer"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/red-devils-kanu-ighalo-shirt-number-25/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Emilio Galantini"
section: "Manchester United Football Club"
published: "2020-02-04T22:00:38Z"
modified: "2020-02-04T22:00:38Z"
---

# Manchester United: Odion Ighalo shirt number revelation gets fans excited over striker transfer

**According to a report from the [Manchester Evening News](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/odion-ighalo-man-utd-number-17685302), Odion Ighalo will wear the number 25 shirt for Manchester United due to the fact it represents former Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu who is hugely popular in his native Nigeria – with lots of Red Devils fans applauding the news over their new hitman.**

Ighalo, who was [signed on loan](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/odion-ighalo-man-utd-number-17685302) during the January transfer deadline day from Shanghai Shenhua as an emergency replacement for the [injured](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51196696) Marcus Rashford, could potentially become a decent goalscoring stand-in – having bagged 40 goals and 11 assists for Watford in all English competitions before his move away from Vicarage Road ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/odion-ighalo/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/62121)). Compared to Rashford, the Nigerian’s best season in the Premier League back in the 2015/2016 season resulted in him accumulating 2.9 shots per game, completing 1.3 dribbles and attracting 1.5 fouls, [as per WhoScored.com](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/31376/History/Odion-Ighalo). Even though Rashford has [bettered](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/300299/Show/Marcus-Rashford) those numbers this season with the exception of fouls, you could make the argument that Ighalo’s statistics represent a striker who could act as a relatively solid temporary back up.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”258943″\]

As a result, these United supporters have praised the unveiling of his shirt number – with one fan, in particular, stating that he could be ‘[better than the French clown](https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FManUtdm2%2Fstatus%2F1224643118156283905&widget=Tweet)‘ – perhaps referring to striker Anthony Martial. Find all of their best comments from Twitter down below.

> yess. Better than the French clown
>
> — ManUtd\_m (@ManUtdm2) [February 4, 2020](https://twitter.com/ManUtdm2/status/1224643118156283905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> That’s also the number of goals he will score during his loan spell. He is a sharp shooter ⚽
>
> — Mazi Okafor (@Maziokafor20) [February 4, 2020](https://twitter.com/Maziokafor20/status/1224643403222278145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> In honour of this man 🇳🇬 [pic.twitter.com/FCyPdHmgqa](https://t.co/FCyPdHmgqa)
>
> — Greenwood SZN 🔴⚪⚫ (@NeeksQuamina) [February 4, 2020](https://twitter.com/NeeksQuamina/status/1224643359513501696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> My number 25 ❤️❤️❤️
>
> — Kwame ✌🏽 (@kwameA\_B) [February 4, 2020](https://twitter.com/kwameA_B/status/1224643357508542464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> golden boot lets gooooooo
>
> — Izzul (@izzulirfxn) [February 4, 2020](https://twitter.com/izzulirfxn/status/1224643154952908800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Title charge incoming
>
> — Depressed (@m98\_ahmed) [February 4, 2020](https://twitter.com/m98_ahmed/status/1224645944836284422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

***Are you excited by the signing of Ighalo? Join the discussion by commenting below…***