Manchester United are reportedly set to keep Odion Ighalo on loan from Shanghai Shenhua until January 2021.
The Nigerian forward is due to return to China in June as his initial loan agreement with the Red devils only runs until May 31.
The proposed loan extension will run until the end of the January window, when Ighalo will return to his team Shanghai.
If agreed, Odion Ighalo will miss the majority of the 2020 Chinese Super League campaign, which is scheduled to start in June.
Shanghai’s original stance was that they would only agree to extend his loan deal if an obligation to buy was included into the deal, with Ighalo likely to cost around £20m.
However, with border restrictions possibly preventing Ighalo from moving back to China in time for the new campaign, Shenhua have softened their stance and will now allow him to extend his stay at United on the condition he signs a new deal.
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His current contract in China expires in December 2022, but his club want to keep him until at least December 2024.
Ighalo initially joined United in January, and scored four goals in eight matches prior to the Premier League being suspended.
United head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hopeful they can extend Ighalo’s 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 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.”
