- Odion Ighalo has said that money was the main reason he chose to go to China when he left Watford, rather than anywhere else.
Odion Ighalo has said that money was the main reason he chose to go to China when he left Watford, rather than anywhere else.
Despite offers from the likes of Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion, Ighalo said that the money on offer from Changchun Yatai was more beneficial for both himself and the Hornets, prompting him to head to the Super League.
However, the Nigerian insists he is s till a Watford supporter following his time at Vicarage Road.
“There’s a lot of reasons I went there (China). I wasn’t playing much in Watford and I did not want to keep sitting on the bench,” he told Watford Observer.
“Watford fans don’t know it but I had an offer from Crystal Palace on the table and West Bromwich but the club was looking for big money and that’s why I accepted Changchun Yatai at the time. So, instead of me sitting down there and not playing I had to move. When the opportunity came for me I accepted it because China could pay what Watford wanted. But this is past tense now. I am happy and Watford are happy because they made a lot of money with me. And they are still my team in the Premier League.
“I don’t know about other players. Maybe they go there for different ambitions. Me? Yes, I went there for the money I am honest but I don’t know why other players go there for.”
While the financial gain may have been his initial motivation for heading to Asia, Ighalo said he has no regrets about the move and has been pleasantly surprised by how quickly he believes the Chinese game is progressing.
“Before I went there, people said a lot of negative things about the Chinese League but when I went there I saw a different game,” he said.
“The league is really growing, they have a lot of foreign coaches and players who improve the league. All I can say is that the Chinese Super League is improving every day and I am very happy about my choice. Regrets? No everything is going well, I am happy there and working hard.”
