Shanghai Shenhua are willing to allow Odion Ighalo remain at Manchester United until January but he could put the £400,000-per-week deal offer at risk.
Manchester United remain in discussions with the Chinese side about extending Ighalo’s loan deal which currently ends on Sunday.
Border restrictions may prevent Ighalo from returning to China in time for the start of the new campaign in June. If he can’t return, the club will look to sign a temporary replacement.
Shanghai Shenhua’s original stance was that they would agree to extend his loan if an obligation to buy was added to the deal. Ighalo would likely cost around £20m.
It is now believed that Shanghai Shenhua will expect Ighalo to sign a new deal with them as a condition of him being allowed to extend his stay at the theatre of dreams.
Ighalo’s current deal in China is up in December 2022. The current offer on the table is worth £400,000 per week and would run till December 2024.
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Shanghai’s chairman has made said that these terms could be dropped if Ighalo doesn’t sign a deal extension, which could rob the Nigerian of the biggest deal in his career.
The striker joined United in the January transfer window and scored four goals in eight matches before the campaign was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hopeful the Red devils can extend his loan spell so he can “finish off what he started”.
“The loan deal went until the end of May now, so obviously he’s supposed to be going back,” Solskjaer told MUTV.
“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.”
