Super Eagles of Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo is in line for his Manchester United debut when they face hosts Chelsea in a crucial league clash on Monday night.

The ex-Watford striker joined Manchester United on deadline day during the winter transfer window last month and he could be the player to fire the Red Devils back to Champions League football after one season.

Manchester United missed out on Champions League football this season after a sixth-placed finish at the end of the last league campaign and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be hoping to lead his team back to the competition next season.

The Chelsea game is significant for Manchester United as they have the opportunity to close the gap on their opponents who occupy the fourth and final place for Champions League qualification.

Fifth position could still be good enough for a spot in the Champions League next season after second-placed Manchester City were subject of a transfer ban in Europe.

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Manchester City have been banned from any form of European competition over the next two seasons after breaching FFP (Financial Fair Play) rules.

Odion Ighalo was the second signing for Manchester United during the January transfer window after Portuguese international Bruno Fernandes and he could be the man to fire the Red Devils back into the Champions League.

Ighalo could perform miracles for Manchester United in the following ways:

1. Goals

Manchester United have struggled for goals in the absence of Marcus Rashford and Odion Ighalo could add firepower to a lean Manchester United frontline without Rashford who has 19 goals in all competitions.

2. Premier League Experience

He has adequate Premier League experience and that could be a useful ammunition for him and his new team between now and the rest of the season.

3. Plan B

Odion Ighalo will provide Solskjaer with a second option in attack even if Marcus Rashford returns to the team as expected next month.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hinted that new signing Odion Ighalo could make his debut for Manchester United ahead of English Premier League [EPL] trip to Chelsea on Monday night.

In his press conference for the game, Solskjaer revealed that the Nigerian striker will travel to London with the squad and that he is in line to make his first appearance for Manchester United whom he joined on loan from Chinese top flight side Shanghai Shenshua.

Odion Ighalo has been training alone since he moved back to England from China as part of the two-week precaution against Coronavirus which has ravaged the Asian country.

He was playing for  Watford before moving to China some years ago.

Solskjaer would be hoping that Ighalo can add the much needed firepower to a blunt attack that has gone three games without a single goal.

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Manchester United have failed to score in each of their last three games in the Premier League.

Solskjaer and his players failed to score during the 2-0 defeat at the hands of hosts and league leaders Liverpool before the same scoreline was recorded at home to Burnley.

Manchester United made it three successive league games without a single goal following the goalless draw at home to Wolves and the Chelsea game gives them the perfect opportunity to get back on track especially with the Champions League race now firmly back on after the European ban imposed on city rivals Manchester City.

Only the top four places will guarantee Champions League football in the next campaign but fifth spot could be available after UEFA banned second-placed Manchester City for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules which is subject to an appeal.

Manchester United are six points adrift Chelsea who occupy fourth position, while they are four points below Sheffield United.

Chelsea have decided to sanction the sale of Mario Pasalic to the Italian Serie A according to the latest reports from the Daily Star.

It was revealed that Champions League campaigners and Italian giants Atalanta want to turn the loan deal of Croatian international Mario Pasalic into a permanent transfer.

Mario Pasalic has not figured prominently for the West London giants since he signed for the club six years ago.

The Croatian international midfielder became a Chelsea player in 2014 on the back of his £3m transfer from Hadjuk Split in his native Croatia.

He has been sent on loan by Chelsea in each of the last six seasons.

Mario Pasalic has been on loan to clubs like French giants AS Monaco, AC Milan and Russian Premier League side Spartak Moscow before his loan transfer to Italian Serie A outfit Atalanta at the start of the last campaign.

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He has been a permanent fixture at Atalanta since the start of last season and was part of the team that finished third at the end of last season as the Italians qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history.

After a successful loan spell at Atalanta last season, Mario Pasalic returned to the club last summer for another loan spell and he has helped the club to fourth place on the league table this season as well as the first knockout stage of the Champions League for the first time in their history.

Mario Pasalic and Atalanta will face Spanish La Liga side Valencia in the knockout stage of the Champions League later this month.

Atalanta are prepared to make his move a permanent one in a £12m deal.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has an array of midfield talents at his disposal and he can afford to let Mario Pasalic leave the club permanently.

Chelsea fans were left excited by the prospect of Hakim Ziyech in their team after the Blues agreed on a deal to sign the Ajax Amsterdam playmaker this summer.

The Moroccan attacker will join Chelsea in the summer after Ajax Amsterdam agreed a £38m transfer with the Blues.

Hakim Ziyech has been a key player for Ajax Amsterdam in the past years especially last season when the Dutch giants won the league title and the cup in addition to reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

According to the Daily Express, Chelsea are keen to wrap up a second transfer after the Hakim Ziyech deal.

It was revealed that the Blues are after one of their former players in Jeremie Boga who plays his club football with Italian Serie A side Sassuolo.

Boga left Chelsea for Sassuolo in the summer of 2018 in a £3.5m deal and the Blues have the first refusal on a future transfer.

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He has been in top form for Sassuolo in the Italian top flight.

The ex-Chelsea winger has scored seven goals and also added two assists for Sassuolo in the league this season.

In addition, Boga has made 32 more dribbles than any other player in the Italian top flight.

Chelsea are not the only club on the trail of the aforementioned Boga with the likes of Inter Milan, Barcelona, Everton and Napoli interested in him.

The Blues have a lot of wingers on their books and Boga might need to be convinced about a move back to Stamford Bridge especially after he saw little playing time during his time in West London.

Chelsea wingers Pedro Rodriguez and Willian might leave the club this summer after the expiration of their respective contracts.

Jeremie Boga could be the man to replace the aforementioned Blues wingers when they leave the club this summer.

Manchester United made their move in the January transfer window with the signings of Odion Ighalo and Bruno Fernandes as they try to make a push for a top-four finish in the English Premier League [EPL] at the end of this campaign.

The Red Devils spent a lot of money on Bruno Fernandes who signed for the club in a £47m deal plus add-ons and bonuses.

Bruno Fernandes signed for Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon as he became the fourth player to move from the Portuguese Super League giants to Old Trafford.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Marcos Rojo had earlier moved from Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United.

For Odion Ighalo, the Nigerian striker joined Manchester United on loan from Shanghai Shenshua in the top flight of Chinese football.

He has signed for Manchester United on loan till this summer without any option for a permanent transfer at the end of the loan spell though the 30-year-old could still join the Red Devils on the long run.

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Both Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo are in line to start for Manchester United when they face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday night.

Bruno Fernandes made his debut in the last game against Wolves which ended in a goalless draw earlier this month. The Portuguese international is expected to be in the starting XI for the Chelsea game.

The Premier League clash between Manchester United and Chelsea later this Monday is crucial for both teams in the push for Champions League football next season.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has used a three-man defence in the big games most times and that’s likely to continue at Chelsea.

Man United XI vs Chelsea:

GK – David De Gea

RWB – Aaron Wan-Bissaka

CB – Victor Lindelof

CB – Harry Maguire

CB – Luke Shaw

LWB –  Brandon Williams

CM – Fred

CM – Scott McTominay

AM – Bruno Fernandes

ST – Odion Ighalo

ST – Anthony Martial

Arsenal are reportedly in a three-horse race for young goalkeeper Brad Young who plays his club football for National League side Hartlepool.

According to The Sun, the 17-year-old Hartlepool shot-stopper is also a target for both Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea.

It was also revealed that these clubs (Chelsea and Manchester United) are prepared to make a six-figure bid for the player.

Brad Young is a 6ft 4in goalkeeper and he became prominent after he was invited to the England national team setup.

He would definitely be a signing for the future if one of the three clubs decide to sign him.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal all have several first-team goalkeepers on their books at the moment.

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For Manchester United, Spanish international David De Gea is the first choice shot-stopper at Old Trafford, but his position is increasingly coming under serious threat from Sergio Romero who is widely regarded as one of the best second choice goalkeepers in European football. Also, Dean Henderson is also closing in on a first-team role with the Red Devils.

England national team player Dean Henderson is on a season-long loan deal at Sheffield United from Manchester United. He has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season with nine clean sheets.

No other Premier League goalkeeper has more clean sheets than Dean Henderson this season. He is on loan for the season for the second time at Sheffield United from Manchester United.

At Chelsea, first-choice goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is under serious pressure after some below-average performances in the Premier League this season and he could leave the club this summer. The Spaniard has lost his place for 38-year-old shot-stopper Willy Caballero.

Bernd Leno and Emiliano Martinez are the first choice and second choice goalkeepers at Arsenal respectively.

Manchester United are determined to beat Premier League rivals, Chelsea, to the signing of Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho.

According to the Daily Mirror, Manchester United and Chelsea are the only two clubs in the mix for the player.

Borussia Dortmund are resigned to losing his services this summer but they are determined to get a lot of money for the £120m-rated England international.

The 19-year-old is one of the best young players in European football.

His status was elevated at Borussia Dortmund whom he joined from Premier League giants Manchester City in the summer of 2017.

Manchester United wanted to sign Jadon Sancho last season but his German club were adamant that the winger won’t leave.

The Red Devils have not had an exciting winger like Jadon Sancho since the Sir Alex Ferguson era ended in 2013 and they have to fight off Chelsea to sign him.

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Sancho could be the man to replace Real Madrid new recruit Eden Hazard at Chelsea after the Belgian international left the Blues for the Spanish capital at the start of the season in a deal reported to be around £100m.

Eden Hazard has not been able to pull his weight at Real Madrid and that’s down to several injury setbacks. Jadon Sancho could be an able replacement for Hazard at Chelsea.

The Three Lions of England star recently became the youngest player to score 25 goals in the German Bundesliga.

Jadon Sancho has scored 12 goals and 13 assists in 19 league matches in the colours of Borussia Dortmund.

In all competitions, he has scored 15 goals in addition to 14 assists in 29 games.

Sancho made his England debut almost two years ago during the UEFA Nations League clash at the home of Croatia which ended in a goalless draw.

The young England winger has scored twice in 12 appearances for his country.

Chelsea have bagged their first major signing in almost two years with the signing of Hakim Ziyech from Dutch Eredivisie giants Ajax Amsterdam. It must be pointed out that Mateo Kovacic sealed a permanent transfer to Chelsea last summer in a £40m deal but the player is not new to the club having spent the previous season on loan from Real Madrid.

Hakim Ziyech will join Chelsea permanently this summer in a £38m deal and according to the Daily Express, the Blues want four more signings in addition to the Moroccan international.

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is the first choice at the club but his place is under serious threat after some questionable performances. He was dropped for the last league game at Leicester City which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Kepa Arrizabalaga lost his place to 38-year-old Willy Caballero and it’s not sure who manager Frank Lampard will start in goal for the next league game at home to Manchester United.

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Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope is being viewed as a major target in the goalkeeping department at Chelsea as fuelled by the inconsistent form shown by Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Nick Pope has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season and also on course to be part of the England squad for the upcoming European Championships this summer.

The left-back position is also a major position to be strengthened for Frank Lampard and Chelsea. Leicester City defender Ben Chilwell is a top target for that left-back role.

Chelsea are also after a wing forward and a striker ahead of this summer’s transfer window.

CSKA Moscow star Fyodor Chalov, Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha and Villarreal player Samuel Chukwueze are wing forward targets for the West London giants, while RB Leipzig attacker Timo Werner and Lyon hitman Moussa Dembele are striker targets.