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Manchester United is ready to sign Odion Ighalo for up to £15million (about N6.4 billion) this summer, after it emerged the Nigerian striker’s loan runs out on May 31.
Sportsmail revealed Ighalo’s temporary move from Shanghai Shenhua is set to end a month earlier than most loan deals.
United may have to negotiate an extension with the Chinese club if the Premier League season — on hold until the end of April —continues into June, although world players’ union FIFPro is working on a solution to the contract uncertainty caused by the coronavirus crisis.
Either way, there is already a willingness at Old Trafford to sign Ighalo permanently, after the former Watford striker scored four goals in his first eight matches.
Shanghai are prepared to sell Ighalo and have put a £15million valuation on the player, who will be 31 in June. They did not ask for a loan fee in January because United agreed to contribute £130,000 a week towards Ighalo’s wages of £300,000 a week.
Ighalo was initially seen as a stop-gap signing after United failed with a bid to bring in Bournemouth’s Josh King on deadline day.
However, he has impressed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with his performances after having to train alone due to concerns over his arrival from Shanghai at the height of the coronavirus outbreak in China.
