Manchester United extends Ighalo loan deal till 2021

Odion Ighalo

Manchester United and Shanghai Shenhua have reached agreement to keep Nigerian forward, Odion Ighalo, at Old Trafford till January 2021.

The 30-year-old’s loan contract was initially due to end on May 31.

The Red Devils, however, confirmed on Monday that Ighalo, who has four goals in eight appearances, will stay until next year.

The Nigerian joined his boyhood club in a shock deadline day move in January.

The confirmation comes as a timely boost for United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as competitive football returns in the UK following a shutdown over the coronavirus pandemic.

Premier League is poised to return on June 17 while the Emirates FA Cup quarter-finals have been lined up for the weekend of June 27 and 28 June, although, actual fixtures are yet to be concluded.

Ighalo will now hope to pick up from where he left off, after winning United’s Goal of the Month award for March with a stunning strike in the club’s last match, a 5-0 victory over Austrian club LASK in the Europa League.