Manchester United now face a contract dilemma with Odion Ighalo after it was revealed that Premier League football could be played well into July.
The Football Association announced on Thursday that all professional football has been postponed further until at least April 30th. Crucially, an indefinite extension has therefore been agreed so that the season can eventually reach its conclusion.
The previous FA rule stated that games must be finished before June 1st, but with Premier League clubs still having at least games to play, the season may not be completed until July or August.
Coronavirus is spreading rapidly and has not yet reached it’s peak in terms of numbers in the UK, so a return date of April 30th seems greatly optimistic at this stage.
Ighalo’s short-term loan contract expires on June 30th which could mean Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is left without the striker for the closing games of the season.
As reported by Manchester Evening News, the club has yet to make a comment on Ighalo’s contract situation, but there would be no obligation for the 30-year-old to play for the Reds beyond June.
A FIFA statement, as quoted by the MEN‘s report, stated: “FIFA is analysing the current situation and the potential impact it may have on all areas of football, including player contracts. More information will follow in due course.”
There’s a huge amount of uncertainty over Ighalo’s future but we hope the club can find a way of negotiating his contract at least until the end of this campaign and perhaps for a further year.
Ighalo has made a fruitful start to life at his boyhood club, netting four goals in eight appearances in all competitions. The Nigerian has provided a fantastic rotation option for Solskjaer and it would be disappointing to see him return to parent club Shanghai Shenhua before the campaign is played out.
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