The 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) top score, Odion Ighalo remains calm despite transfer rumours over the weekend linking him to Manchester United in the English Premier league.
After their 2-0 defeat to Burnley at Old Trafford last week, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer indicated that the club – six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea after successive defeats – are in need of ‘quality’ signings, with Paul Pogba as well as Rashford currently side-lined.
Ighalo and Algerian Islam Slimani who is currently with Leicester City but on loan at Monaco, were two of a number of players Manchester United reportedly have looked at as they try to bring in a striker on loan following the long-term injury to Marcus Rashford.
Incidentally, the former Nigeria international scored 17 goals in 55 Premier League appearances during his spell with Watford before securing a move to Chinese League One side, Changchun Yatai in 2017.
Currently with Shanghai Shenhua, Ighalo has two years left on his contract.
“Ighalo is not disturbed with the rumours linking him to Manchester United,” a very reliable source close to the player told NationSport.“ That’s why he has chosen not to make any statement about the transfer speculation.”
For some time now, Ighalo has been linked away with a move away from the Chinese Super League and reportedly turned down a short-loan move to Catalan giants, FC Barcelona last year.
“My agent spoke to me about a loan interest from Barcelona. The club wanted a striker with La Liga experience and someone who understands Spanish football,” Ighalo told BBC Sport in March 2019.”It was meant to be a six-month loan and strictly as a back-up striker. It was nice to hear that Barcelona were interested and any footballer would be more than happy to take it.
“But with due respect I had just finished as the second top scorer in China with 21 goals, I deserve better and didn’t want to be a short-term player somewhere.
“We rejected it, it was an easy decision to make and I chose to stay in China by joining Shanghai Shenhua on a longer contract,” Ighalo added.
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