Man Utd agree Odion Ighalo loan extension as striker to stay at Old Trafford until January

Posted Monday, June 01, 2020 by Express.co.uk

Man Utd agree Odion Ighalo loan extension as striker to stay at Old Trafford until January
Manchester United star Odion Ighalo is going to stay at the club (Image: GETTY)

Odion Ighalo is set to stay at Manchester United after a new loan deal was agreed with Shanghai Shenhua.

Manchester United have extended Odion Ighalo's loan deal and the player is set to stay until January 2021. Ighalo was loaned out to United during the January transfer window from Shanghai Shenhua and managed to win over manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a total of four goals in eight appearances.

The striker had shown great form before the Premier League got suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic on March 13.

According to the Daily Star, however, it seems like the Nigeria international will get a second chance to make the most out of his opportunity with the Red Devils as the club agreed to pay a revised loan fee that will tie him down to Old Trafford until next year.

The terms of his pre-existing deal were set to expire on Sunday with Shanghai Shenhua keen to have him back for the start of the new season next month and even willing to offer him a new contract worth more than £450,000-a-week.

But travel restrictions and quarantine rules amid the COVID-19 crisis along with the 30-year-old's strong desire to stay at United convinced them to extend his loan stint.

Ighalo's agent Atta Aneke said: "We are nearing agreement with Manchester United on an extended loan.

"The agreement will mean that Ighalo will remain with them until January 2021."

Solskjaer has been very impressed with Ighalo's performances at United and recently expressed his desire to keep him for the rest of the season.

United want to make a strong finish to the campaign with their main focus lying on the Premier League top four.

Solskjaer said: "They've been great towards us, his club, allowing him to play. It's been a dream for him.

"Hopefully he can finish off what he started, maybe with a trophy or two."

United are set to return to action next month after Premier League officials decided that it is safe to restart the season on June 17.

The Manchester giants are scheduled to take on Tottenham away in a crucial match with major implications to the top-four race.

Solskjaer's side are fifth in the table with only three points separating them from fourth-placed Chelsea and had put together a strong bid to overtake the Blues before the season was halted.

United have shown tremendous progress ever since Bruno Fernandes joined from Sporting Lisbon in January and expect to have Marcus Rashford as well as Paul Pogba back from injury.