Shanghai Shenhua striker Ighalo dribbles during their FA Cup clash with Shandong Luneng in Shanghai, December 6, 2019.
As the transfer window slammed shut on Friday, Manchester United pulled off a stunning last-minute loan signing of Odion Ighalo from the Chinese Super League (CSL) club Shanghai Shenhua.
According to several British media outlets, the 30-year-old striker is set to complete a six-month loan and become the second senior addition to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad after the signing of Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon.
Ighalo has scored 33 goals in 82 games for Premier League side Watford before moving to Changchun Yatai in 2017. After two seasons with the CSL strugglers, he then transferred to Shenhua and netted 10 goals in 19 appearances.
A Nigerian international, Ighalo has scored 16 goals in 35 games for his country, including featuring in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Dalian Yifang's Yannick Carrasco in action during their league clash with Hebei China Fortune in Dalian, November 23, 2019.
Another CSL star Yannick Carrasco also made the decision to return to Europe on a frantic transfer deadline day as the Dalian Yifang talisman joined Atletico Madrid on loan until the end of the season.
Carrasco spent three years at Atletico, where he played a total of 124 games and scored 23 goals, before moving to China in 2018. The Belgian scored in the 2016 Champions League final, as Atletico drew 1-1 with Real Madrid before losing on penalties.
He has spent the last two years in China, where he played 52 games while registering an impressive 24 goals and 17 assists. Atletico described Carrasco as "a player who knows our team and has a lot of talent and provides penetration from both sides."
Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund signed German international midfielder Emre Can from Italian champions Juventus. The 26-year-old former Liverpool player completed his medical check-up before signing for Dortmund, initially on a loan deal until June.
"I think the team has great potential and can win something," said Can, who began his career with Bayern Munich before moving to Bayer Leverkusen and then Liverpool in 2014.
Paris St-Germain striker Cavani only has six months remaining on his contract and has also been linked with Manchester United and Chelsea.
Arsenal have completed their second January signing with the addition of Cedric Soares on loan until the end of the season. The Portuguese fullback, whose Southampton contract expires at the end of the campaign, has made 138 appearances since joining the south coast club in 2015.
Cedric's switch to Arsenal comes after Kyle Walker-Peters moved to Southampton on loan from Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the campaign.
In Brazil, Japanese midfielder Keisuke Honda has signed for Rio de Janeiro giants Botafogo. Honda, 33, who played for CSKA Moscow and AC Milan in a globetrotting career, came from Vitesse Arnhem on what was reportedly an 11-month deal.
Brazilian news reports said Honda demanded a bullet-proof car before he signed the deal to play in a city where the homicide rate is many times higher than in Japan.
Meanwhile, Paris St Germain manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed striker Edinson Cavani will remain in the club until the end of the season. Cavani is out of contract at the end of the season and was linked with a move to Atletico Madrid.
"There are worse situations in life than staying at PSG. I think he will feel good," Tuchel said. "He must regain the confidence and the rhythm. Edi is here, he's a great player. We won't change this group and that's good."
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard also confirmed Olivier Giroud will not leave Stamford Bridge this winter after the club failed to land a new striker in the window.
"He has been incredible as a player and a man during this time. Will he leave? No. He trained today. No ins and no outs," Lampard told a news conference.
(With input from agencies)