Odion Igahlo smiling as he steps out of the Lowry Hotel in Manchester, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Photos)

Odion Ighalo's spirits seem to be sky high after securing his dream move to Manchester United and the striker was pictured grinning and laughing outside the Lowry Hotel on Monday. 

He stepped out of his temporary residence dressed in a grey Nike hoodie and greeted by friends.  

The forward supported United as a child and it seems he is still revelling in his move to the Old Trafford club.

Manchester United's new signing Odion Ighalo was in high spirits outside the Lowry Hotel

The Nigerian was laughing and joking away with friends on an overcast Monday morning

Ighalo fussed over a baby and chatted with his friends in the car park outside United's frequently used hotel in Manchester city centre.

The former Watford man has joined on loan from Shanghai Shenua and his new club will be paying £100,000 of his £300,000-a-week wages. 

Ighalo landed in Manchester on Sunday and told Sky Sports News: 'Its been crazy. Obviously I am happy to be in Manchester and this is a great opportunity for me.

'And I’m grateful to God, my agent and the coach that gave me this opportunity to be here. I’m happy to be here to work hard with the team and finish very well this season.

Ighalo fussed over a baby and enjoyed chatting with friends in the hotel's car park

The Nigerian waved to the cameras before heading back into the hotel in the morning

'It’s a dream come true because since I was a kid I have always dreamed about Man United, but this is reality now.'

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will hope Ighalo is the man to get his side firing again in front of goal, particularly with Marcus Rashford out injured with a double stress fracture to his back.   

United are heading out to a warm-weather training camp in Marbella later this week and Ighalo will get the chance to bed in with his new team-mates. 

The next game back could be a crucial one in the top four shake-up with United visiting Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea on February 17.