Former Super Eagles defender, Ifeanyi Udeze has urged Odion Ighalo to return to Shanghai Shenhua when his loan deal with Manchester United expires.
Ighalo arrived Manchester United on transfer deadline day and has made big impact with the Red Devile.
United are reportedly willing to make the move permanent at the end of the season with Ighalo expected to take a pay cut for the transfer to materialise.
Shanghai Shenhua are however not prepared to lose one of their prized assets easily and have offered him a new deal worth £400,000 per week.
“At 31, what’s left? Who does he need to impress? No one – I will jump at the Shanghai’s offer immediately, Udeze told Brila FM
“£400,000 is a lot of money and Manchester United cannot afford to match that amount, so, for me, I will accept Shanghai’s deal.”
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 in his eight appearances for the club.
Discussing his contract situation at the weekend, Ighalo said: ‘Talking about other things now would not only be selfish but terribly insensitive.
‘The challenge before us is not a football one, but a global one. You can’t put football before health challenges.’
After United’s win against LASK earlier this month, Solskjaer gave an indication that United were interested in making Ighalo’s move permanent. ‘He will improve and get better,’ said the United boss.
‘He has qualities we saw in him that we needed. And we will still need those qualities next season — so let’s see what we will do.’
