Mark Hughes: 'Odion Ighalo is an ideal signing for Manchester United'

Former Manchester United attacker Mark Hughes has said that Odion Ighalo is "the type of player" that the Red Devils need due to his physicality and different skill set to those already at the club.

The 20-time English champions announced on transfer deadline day that they had completed the signing of Ighalo, who will spend the rest of the 2019-20 campaign on loan at Old Trafford from Shanghai Shenhua.

Hughes has claimed that the 30-year-old's physical capabilities makes him the ideal signing for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side at this moment in time.

"I would probably think he is covered in bruises from pinching himself all day," Hughes told Sky Sports News. "I think he's the type of player that United need, whether or not that's long-term.

"I've watched them on a number of occasions, both live and on TV, and whenever I do I feel they just lack that physicality at the top end of the pitch – just to relieve pressure.

"The other night, when they were getting pressed by [Manchester] City really high in the first half, I always felt they needed an outlet so they could knock it up to a big man who could retain possession for them, resist challenges and bring other people into the game, allowing them a bit of time to get up the pitch. Without that physicality, it's hard to get out."

Ighalo found the back of the net on 40 occasions in 100 appearances for Watford before moving to the Chinese Super League in 2017.