Manchester United are very close to agreeing on a contract extension with on-loan striker Odion Ighalo. The extension proposed to the Nigerian forward will last till January next year.
Manchester United have been in contact with Shanghai Shenhua, Ighalo’s parent club, to come to an agreement for a contract extension of the Nigerian striker. According to Sky Sports, United are hopeful that a contract extension will be agreed before Ighalo’s loan deal expires at the Old Trafford.
The loan will be extended for another six months and will keep Odion till the end of January. Ighalo’s contract at the Chinese Super League club expires in 2022 but the club wants to keep him till the end of 2023-24 season. Shanghai Shenhua were earlier open to an agreement only when the option to buy the forward was exercised by United.
But the Red Devils only want an extension of the loan and are not interested in spending near to £20m for Ighalo. The proposed extension will make Odion miss the entire Chinese Super League season which starts next month. With the United Kingdom’s border restrictions with China, Shanghai are open to an extension. United manager Solskjaer is hopeful of a deal.
“The loan deal went until the end of May now, so obviously he’s supposed to be going back,” Solskjaer told MUTV earlier this week.
“We’re in dialogue. They’ve been great towards us, his club, and allowed him to play for his dream club.
“It’s been a dream for him and hopefully he can finish off what he started, hopefully with a trophy for us. At the moment, nothing has been agreed. Their league is going to get started soon so we’re just waiting to see.”
Ighalo joined Manchester United on the deadline day of the January transfer window and featured eight times for the Red Devils. He scored four goals for them including an incredible volley in the Europa League.
