Today’s back pages: Man Utd place new striker Ighalo in ‘quarantine’ and Chelsea agree deal for Ajax star Ziyech

Ighalo self-isolating

Several papers report the plight of Manchester United’s new signing, Odion Ighalo, who according to The Times, has agreed to keep clear of the club’s training ground for two weeks “because of concerns over the spread of coronavirus”.

The paper claims that the frontman, who was signed by the Red Devils last month on loan, has yet to meet his new team-mates because he is self-isolating after arriving from parent club Shanghai Shenhua.

Ighalo has spent three years with the Chinese outfit and with coronavirus an ongoing menace, it’s been agreed that the 30-year-old should undergo a fortnight’s quarantine in order to ensure there is no risk of contaminating his team-mates.

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Daily Star says that the Nigerian international has been working on a personalised fitness programme provided by the club at the British Taekwondo headquarters in the east of Manchester, near Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium.

“I can confirm Odion has been training at the taekwondo centre and has not been to Carrington,” his agent Oladele Salami told the Star. “The team are back on Saturday and he will join up with them then.”

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Chelsea chase Ziyech

The Guardian and the Daily Express both report that Chelsea have sealed a deal with Ajax to sign Hakim Ziyech in the summer, although the papers quibble on the cost of landing the 26-year-old Morocco winger.

According to the Guardian, the Blues will hand “€40m [£33.6m] plus add-ons” to the Dutch champions in return for Ziyech as Frank Lampard finally gets his hands on a player he’s admired for a while.

Although the Blues have also been linked with Jadon Sancho in recent days, the Guardian says that Lampard is more likely to bring in Ziyech as a replacement for Willian, who is expected to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.

The Guardian says that Chelsea tried to sign Ziyech in January but Ajax were “unwilling to sanction a sale mid-season” and instead said they would be willing to talk in the summer.

The Daily Express echoes the view of the Guardian but claims the asking price is around £38m.

Jadon Sancho’s next club: Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea or somewhere else?

South Africa win T20 thriller

The Guardian’s back page carries a photo of a jubilant Lungi Ngidi celebrating one of the three wickets he claimed against England in yesterday’s thrilling Twenty20 encounter in South Africa.

“Packing a punch” is the headline in what the paper describes as a “dramatic game”.

England had looked on course for a comfortable win before South Africa ace Ngidi ripped through the middle order to secure a one-run victory in the first of three T20 matches.

Today’s sport headlines

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