In what could be a bitter blow for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United and their supporters, it seems that the deal to bring Odion Ighalo to Old Trafford on a permanent basis isn’t as simple as it first appeared.
The striker quickly settled into life with the Red Devils and proved to be a great focal point for United’s attack in the absence of Marcus Rashford, however, one pundit believes that there’s a long way to go yet before any deal can be concluded.
“Manchester United have been very impressed and pleased with the progress that Mason Greenwood has made this season,” Sky Sports reporter, Dharmesh Sheth, said, cited by the Daily Express.
“But they do remain in the market for a striker, and the one that they want is a player that is already in their squad, Odion Ighalo on loan from Shanghai Shenhua of course.
“Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is very impressed with the impact that Ighalo has made this season and sees Ighalo as a man of experience who can help some of the younger players, including Mason Greenwood.
“However, this deal is not as easy as it sounds. That’s because Shanghai Shenhua have offered Ighalo a new contract worth around £400,000-a-week. That’s simply a wage that Manchester United would not pay.”
Ighalo had already proved to be a hit with supporters prior to the coronavirus pandemic, despite perhaps not being a first choice transfer at the time.
Slotting straight into the starting XI, his goals and work-rate had provided Solskjaer’s side with renewed impetus going forward. He, as much as any other player, deserved the plaudits for the way in which United’s season was turned around.
If the Premier League season does resume in due course, then United are still in with a shout of Champions League qualification, but they might well be in next season’s European competition without one of the players that will have helped get them there.