Odion Ighalo to amass almost £200,000 weekly at Chinese club, Changchun Yatai

Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo has completed his move to China from Premier League side Watford and will earn £200,000 per week.

Ighalo underwent a medical at Watford training ground on Tuesday, January 31 after his former side agreed on a fee of £22million with the Chinese side, Changchun Yatai.

The striker who spent two half years with the Hornets signed his new deal with Changchun Yatai in London with his agent Atta Aneke.

A move to China has been on the table for Ighalo since January 2016 when a got an offer of £200,000 a week; a four-year contract from an undisclosed Chinese side.

In the summer of 2016, Ighalo turned down a move to Shanghai SIPD, who had a £37.5m offer accepted by Watford.

Before signing for Changchun Yatai, Ighalo had offers from West Brom who wanted the striker on a loan deal.

The Tony Pulis' side initially wanted Ighalo on a permanent basis but pull out of a move due to Watford’s asking price for the striker.

Ighalo first joined Watford on loan from Granada in July 2014 and signed a permanent deal three months later.

The 27-year-old scored 39 goals in 100 appearances during that time, including 20 he netted as Watford secured promotion to the Premier League in 2014/15.

He scored 17 goals in Watford’s first season back in the Premier League but his form nose-dive in the current season, netting just once in the Premier League.

Yatai finished 12th last season in the 16-team Chinese Super League and Ighalo will join up with his new teammates soon for pre-season ahead of the new season.

"A special thanks to Watford fans, who I really hold dearly in my heart because they supported me since the very first day I came to this club to the last day," Ighalo told Sky Sports after completing his move.

"Even when things weren't going well for me, they were still there chanting my name beside me. Though things don't always go the way you want in life, you have to keep moving and working hard.

"Some of them [Watford fans] were not happy because the goals did not come as they want. I can understand them because I've done it in the past and they want to see it again.

"I'm sorry for that and I'm sorry it didn't work out the way it should be but I'm really happy to have been associated with this Watford family and wherever I go, to China or wherever, I'm still going to hold the fans dearly to my heart because they have always been there for me.

"Thanks to Watford fans for the great support, they will always be in my heart wherever I go."