Ighalo, 26, is one of the hottest strikers in the English Premiership so far, having scored five goals since the start of the season, enabling his club to climb to a respectable mid table position. He has also been on form for Nigeria's scoring the third goal in the Super Eagles' 3-0 demolition of the Indomitable Lions last Sunday.
He has now been nominated alongside Leicester City’s England striker Jamie Vardy, Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, West Ham playmaker Dimitri Payet and Manchester United pair Anthony Martial and Daley Blind for the September Player of the Month Award. His fine form has attracted several suitors but Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores has told them to all keep away.
Mr Flores said: “Odion had the chance to go out in the summer but he decided to stay here and that was an amazing decision. When a player does well, it is normal that his value changes but now we think of Ighalo as one of our most important players because he is very happy and he can play in different positions.
“I'm not scared about losing Ighalo as I'm very happy with him and I'm not even thinking about what might happen in the winter market. I'm not scared about losing him.”
Watford face title contenders Arsenal on Saturday and Ighalo, who rejected a £12m move to play for Hebei China Fortune in the Far East three months ago, is hoping to score against the Gunners. He added that Arsenal are doing well at the moment but he and his team mates hope for the three points against them.
The last Nigerian player to win the Player of the Month award was Osaze Odemwingie, who first won the February 2012 award, when he was playing for West Bromwich Albion. Odemwingie won the award on two other occasions, while the first Nigerian to win the award was Austin "JayJay" Okocha, in November 2003.
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