According to the Manchester Evening News, Odion Ighalo has revealed to ElegbeteTV that there’s ‘no offer on the table yet’ to join Manchester United on a permanent basis.
The 30-year-old was signed by the Red Devils in the late stages of the January transfer window as emergency cover for Marcus Rashford – who is recovering from a long-term injury.
Ighalo, who joined from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua, has certainly hit the ground running for his boyhood club, bagging four goals from three starts.
The MEN claim that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen on a permanent move for the star, though the Red Devils don’t have a buy option included in the striker’s loan contract.
The MEN also add that Shanghai Shenhua have offered the forward a staggering £400,000-a-week deal to extend his contract, it seems as though Ighalo will have two very good options on his hands when the transfer window opens.
Here’s the Nigerian star’s most recent update on a potential permanent move to the Red Devils, as per ElegbeteTV:
“There is no offer on the table yet,”
“Because the season is still on and I’m yet to finish my loan deal. I don’t just take decisions alone in my life. I have a principle and I have a guideline for everything I do. I always pray to God to direct me.”
“I have seen so many tweets about this. I have seen so many people going crazy, [saying] ‘go back to China’, some say stay with Man United.”
“Have you seen me say a word? I don’t have anything to say.”
“When the season’s finished and I get two offers from the two teams, then I will sit and think about it, pray about it and whatever God says I should do, I will go with that.”
“I don’t just sit down and take decisions, and I don’t get carried away with whatever people say.”
“I came to Manchester United to play for a pay cut because I wanted to. So anything could happen, but I want the season to finish and my loan to finish. Then I will see everything I have.”
“You don’t just rush and do things. ‘I’m going here, I’m going here’. I have to sit down and finish the season well, sit down with my agent, see what’s on the ground: A, B, C, D, is on the ground. Okay we have to pick.”
Ighalo has proved that he slots in well alongside one of the team’s primary attacking outlets in Anthony Martial, the 30-year-old gives the Red Devils a different dimension in attack and his desire seems unmatched.
United were already short-staffed up front before Rashford was injured, making a swoop for Ighalo could be a very smart move by the Manchester outfit.
Ighalo is the kind of player that is contributing plenty to the team but also wouldn’t hinder the development of a promising talent like Mason Greenwood – in a way that a high-profile attacker probably would.