Former Watford striker Odion Ighalo has reunited with former Hornets manager Quique Sanchez Flores after signing a three-year deal at Shanghai Shenhua.

The pair made history for Watford by winning the Premier League’s player and manager of the month awards for December 2015, the first time anybody from the club had received either honour.

Ighalo appeared 55 times for Watford in the top flight, scoring 16 goals, 15 of which came in his prolific 2015/16 campaign, while Sanchez Flores took charge of 44 games before leaving the club in 2016.

The Nigerian, who has 36 goals in 55 appearances since leaving the Hornets for Changun Yatai in January 2017, said he was “excited” to play under Sanchez Flores again.

He said: “It’s important to sort my club future and I’m happy that it comes with a great opportunity to play under coach Quique again.

“From the beginning he made it clear that he wanted me, and I completely understand what that means.

“We’ve had some good times together and importantly it’s good to continue in a league you’ve come to understand, so I am really excited.”

Ighalo’s new club finished seventh in the Chinese Super League last season, 30 points behind winners Shanghai SIPG.