Former Chelsea and England defender Graeme Le Saux has hit out at Odion Ighalo's decision to move to China upon leaving Watford in the summer of 2017.

The 30-year-old scored 40 times in 100 appearances for the Hornets before leaving for the Chinese Super League, first joining Changchun Yatai before moving to Shanghai Shenhua in 2019.

Manchester United are allegedly in talks over a loan deal for the Nigeria international, who is seemingly confident of joining the club before the January transfer window closes.

Le Saux, however, has claimed that Ighalo showed a lack of professional ambition when he decided to continue his career in China.

"When you go to China it taints someone's reputation. If you are professionally ambitious, then you don't go to China," Le Saux told Sky Sports News.

Ighalo, who has found the back of the net on 10 occasions in 19 appearances for Shanghai Shenhua, would allegedly join Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side on a six-month loan if the proposed deal was to go through.

The Red Devils are in the market for a new forward due to Marcus Rashford's long-term back issue.