Manchester United will reportedly be asked to pay £15 million by Shanghai Shenhua if they want to make the Odion Ighalo loan deal permanent.
According to Luke Gardener of Daily Express, Shanghai Shenhua have ramped up the price for Odion Ighalo after seeing the impact he has made in his short while at Manchester United so far. The Chinese Super League giants will now ask £15 million from the Red Devils to convert the loan deal into a permanent transfer.
Shanghai Shenhua to demand £15m for Man Utd to make Odion Ighalo loan deal permanent transfer. The Chinese side have seen the instant impact he has made and will ramp up price as a result. United have option to buy but no fee was agreed. Solskjaer delighted with the striker #MUFC
— Luke Gardener (@LukeGardener82) March 14, 2020
Odion Ighalo’s arrival has been like a breath of fresh air at Old Trafford. Signed on loan in a desperate manner on deadline day in January, Ighalo became the first Nigerian to play for Manchester United and also made his dream of playing for the club he has supported since childhood come true.
No one, though, would have anticipated the impact the Nigerian international would make at Manchester United. In what was a ridiculed move has paid off massively for the club, with Ighalo scoring 4 goals and netting an assist in just 318 minutes of football for the Red Devils.
His unprecedented impact has not only helped Manchester United mitigate the loss of Marcus Rashford to injury, but also given some much-needed rest to Anthony Martial in some matches.
To add to it, United finally have a true number 9, one who can hold the ball at his feet and play with his back turned to the goal; one who has a first touch that enables him to set himself up and his teammates to score goals and a finishing ability that is refreshing to see at Manchester United.
While Manchester United have still been linked with forwards for the summer, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hinted in his recent press conference that the prospect of making Odion Ighalo a permanent signing is very real. It does make sense.
Ighalo has come in, won the fans over not only with his passion and commitment towards the club but also with his performances.
The Nigerian international is living his dream, but backing the talk with his displays on the pitch. £15 million for a 31-year-old might seem decent, but if it bags Manchester United a player with the passion and desire to play for the club along with the ability that Ighalo has shown, it’s nothing more than chump change for the club.
