Nigerian forward Odion Ighalo says Austin Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Dwight Yorke, and Andy Cole were his football heroes while growing up and learned a lot from them.

The forward has been in good form for Manchester United since arriving at the club from the Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua and has been rumored to be moving closer to a permanent switch to the record English champions.

While speaking to Manchester United’s official website on his success story in the round leather game, the former Super Eagles player said no one had an influence on him than the four premier league legends and claimed they helped him to develop a passion for the football and Manchester United.

“Well, I had a lot of football heroes. When I started supporting Man United, Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole were my heroes growing up. And some Nigerian players as well like Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu. They are great players, they were my heroes growing up and I watched them on TV. It is a great privilege for me to play at Man United, where great players like Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole have played.”

On the kind of player he is, the former Udinese and Granada man has this to say: “Well, many people would say he is a gentle guy but inside he is a beast. I am a fighter, I never give up, I go for what I believe I can achieve and I give my best, 100 percent, no matter the outcome of the game, win or lose, I always give 100 percent from the beginning.” he said.

Ighalo’s loan deal with United expires in June and he has been reportedly offered £400,000 pounds weekly by his parent club, in order to ignore permanent switch to the English side.