Manchester United secured a late loan deal for Shanghai Shenhua striker Odion Ighalo, but not before Aston Villa rejected the chance to take the Nigerian to the Midlands.
The 30-year-old's agent allegedly approached the Villans as he looked to engineer an escape route for his client, who has scored a total of 46 goals in 72 Chinese Super League appearances. However, Dean Smith opted not to sign Ighalo, despite Wesley's season-ending injury.
Villa's £22m summer arrival suffered knee ligament damage in the side's 2-1 victory at Turf Moor on New Year's Day, with Smith subsequently beginning his hunt for a replacement in the January transfer window.
According to Sky Sports, the manager had been considering bringing Ighalo in on loan for the remainder of the campaign, but ultimately decided against pursuing a deal.
The forward enjoyed two successful seasons at the start of his Watford career following a switch from Udinese in 2014, scoring 35 Premier League goals during his first 72 games in the competition.
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Source : 90min