Nigerian
international striker Odion Ighalo became the latest Premier League player to
head to China when Watford agreed to sell him to Changchun Yatai for a reported
club record £20million ($25m, 23.3m euros) on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old — capped 12 times — enjoyed a
superb season for the Hornets last term scoring 17 goals on their return to the
Premier League and also reaching the FA Cup semi-finals.
He was rewarded with a new five-year contract
last August but this campaign has seen his form fall away completely and he has
scored just once.
“The Hornets can confirm that Odion Ighalo
has agreed a permanent move to Changchun Yatai,” read a statement on the club
website.
“All at Watford FC thank Odion for his
contributions to the club, and wish him the best of luck for his future
career.”
Ighalo, who scored 39 times in 100
appearances during his two-and-a-half year stay at Watford, initially arrived
on loan from Granada in July 2014, a move which was made permanent three months
later.
Ighalo joins the likes of former Chelsea duo
Oscar and fellow Nigerian John Obi Mikel in leaving the Premier League in
January on big money transfers.
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