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How Manchester United could line up with Odion Ighalo, Bruno Fernandes

How Man Utd could line up with Ighalo, Fernandes
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Sports Mole looks at how Manchester United could line up following the late January signings of Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo.

Manchester United have left it late to do their business during the January transfer window, bringing in Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo in the final two days.

Fernandes was the biggest signing of the month as his protracted transfer saga finally came to an end with an initial €55m (£47m) switch from Sporting Lisbon which could rise to €80m (£67.7m).

While that deal was a long time in the making, Ighalo's arrival came as a surprise as United's exhaustive search for a new striker landed on the Shanghai Shenhua man.

The 30-year-old has joined on a short-term loan deal until the end of the season, while United have the option to make that move permanent in the summer.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could line his side up following the deadline-day business.



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Solskjaer's options are currently limited by injuries to some key players, most notably Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay.

However, a fully-fit squad looks like an attractive proposition for United fans following their January business, with Fernandes slotting directly behind fellow new arrival Ighalo.

Fernandes has scored 48 goals over the past season-and-a-half in addition to creating 20 more in the league, so his presence in attacking midfield looks likely to increase United's goal threat.

Ighalo also has a proven goalscoring record in the Premier League from his time with Watford, where he netted 39 times in 99 appearances for the Hornets.

Rashford remains United's main goal threat when fit and he would be a shoo-in to start on the left, but Ighalo's presence could force Anthony Martial out to the right rather than his preferred central role, which he has occupied for much of the current campaign.

The likes of Daniel James, Andreas Pereira and Juan Mata would see their first-team chances hurt by that, while further back Pogba and McTominay are likely to be the first-choice midfield pairing in a fully-fit squad despite the good form of Fred and Nemanja Matic in their absence.

The back five would remain unchanged, with young Brandon Williams having now seemingly moved ahead of Luke Shaw in the pecking order at left-back.

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Bruno Fernandes future - Click here for more stories

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Odion Ighalo pictured in June 2019
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
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2Manchester CityMan City28183768313757
3Leicester CityLeicester29165858283053
4Chelsea29146951391248
5Manchester UnitedMan Utd29129844301445
6Wolverhampton WanderersWolves29101364134743
7Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd28111073025543
8Tottenham HotspurSpurs29118104740741
9Arsenal2891364036440
10Burnley29116123440-639
11Crystal Palace29109102632-639
12Everton29107123746-937
13Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2998122541-1635
14Southampton29104153552-1734
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton29611123240-829
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2976163550-1527
17Watford2969142744-1727
18Bournemouth2976162947-1827
19Aston Villa2874173456-2225
20Norwich CityNorwich2956182552-2721

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