Odion Ighalo’s loan at Manchester United expires on May 31 and the club are working hard to keep hold of him for the remainder of this season.
As reported by ESPN, United are willing to offer a fresh loan fee for his services for the final nine games of the Premier League season.
But parent club Shanghai Shenhua want to have the Nigerian striker back for the start of the Chinese Super League season which is scheduled for July.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may therefore have to prepare for the prospect of being without his backup striker for when football resumes.
Alternatively, United could sign Ighalo permanently, with Shanghai setting a £20m asking price for the 30-year-old.
Ighalo has enjoyed a fruitful loan spell at his dream club, scoring four goals in eight appearances since his surprise deadline day move.
But Ighalo was signed as a stop-gap attacking option after Marcus Rashford’s back injury in injury and is not the future of Solskjaer’s attack.
The £20m valuation touted for a player entering the twilight of his career seems excessive particularly given the nature of the transfer market.
While he has adhered himself to fans and immediately become a favourite at Old Trafford, the wise decision might be to bypass on a permanent move and focus on younger, more long-term targets.
Ighalo’s future has caused plenty of debate amongst United fans on social media with mixed views as to whether the Red should spend £20m on the forward.
Not at that price
— jeff (@jeffdav0906) May 11, 2020
I would love to keep him
— Emma Edgar mufc ⚽️ (@xemmax88) May 11, 2020
20 million to keep Ighalo just probably 1 more year is stupid
— E. (@EzekielElijahJ1) May 11, 2020
In today’s market that’s a fair price for him tbh. I still think he can get him for a little bit less tho. We don’t need a striker who is gonna hamper the development of Greenwood that’s why retaining Ighalo is a must. He’s also proved his worth he’s scored goals too sign him up
— Chris Silvester (@ChrisSilveste14) May 11, 2020
20 for Ighalo is fair nowadays. His weekly wage is the problem 300K+ a week.@GNev2 @GNevQuotes
— tom kevin rwizi (@tomkevinrwizi) May 11, 2020
20 mil a bargain even if only score 10-15
— Kevin Taylor (@kev29uk) May 11, 2020
Rather we extend Ighalo’s loan and buy new young striker in the summer
— ً (@UtdAidan) May 11, 2020
Nope add another 30 mil and get a generational talent like Werner.
— SaMi.aLam (@Samialam753Sa) May 11, 2020
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