Gernot Rohr Wants Odion Ighalo Out of China

Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, has expressed his wish for AFCON 2019 to scorer Odion Ighalo to leave China.

Rohr will be delighted to see Ighalo play in a topflight football league division next season, after his Chinese Super League team, Changchun Yatai suffered relegation, at the end of the just concluded season.

The striker finished the Chinese Super League season on a high, scoring 21 goals in 28 games, but it was not enough to save Changchun Yatai from relegation.

Rohr, who was guest at a breakfast media parley with Nigerian Sports Editors on Friday in Lagos, noted that his top marksman will not be short of suitors when the January transfer window reopens.

“I called him [Ighalo] up at the World Cup after I read what was written about him in the social media. He came on at halftime against Argentina because Kelechi Iheanacho was not so good.

“He did well but missed a chance. There was not a good reaction from the fans who were not happy.

“I think it was not his mistake that we were eliminated. Of course, there were other problems which we spoke about them. Everybody is happy now that Ighalo is scoring well again.

“Now he’s in the second division, what will happen? I hope he returns to a top division club. He finished as the second top scorer in the Chinese Super League, so I think he will have offers to move to the top flight division.

“He (Ighalo) told me a few days ago that his injury now allows him to run which is already good and he will let me know if he wants to change club. His club (Changchun Yatai) wants, him but I think it is better for us and for him to play in the top division or return to Europe.

“When you score goals for your team you will get offers,” Rohr said.