Why Ighalo Must Shun Shanghai Shenhua's Offer Of An Extended Deal And Remain At Man United

Former Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo is on loan at the great Manchester United.

That deal is expected to come to an end on May 31 but with the Coronavirus pandemic adversely affecting football which culminated in postponement of most tournaments and some cancellations, the loan deal may be extended.

Ighalo's move to the Red Devils was highly criticised by former football stars especially those that played for Man United, some pundits and fans.

Interestingly Ighalo has responded to those backlash in the most admirable way scoring in every game he has started so far.

Now, he  has to wait and find out if his short stint will be extended as manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer has hinted that the impressive performances of the Nigerian striker could see him earning a permanent transfer.

But out of the blue comes the news that his parent club hope to offer him a new contract worth £400,000 a week doubling his current £200,000 at the Chinese club.

United will not offer Ighalo such weekly wages and moreover more than the likes of Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford.

Most Nigerian football fans are of the opinion that he should return to his parent club and earn far better than he would at Old Trafford.

Shanghai Shenhua was linked with another former Super Eagles striker Obafemi Martins who in fact was a player of the CSL side but the form of Ighalo makes it difficult not to welcome back him back at the Chinese club.

However there are  two reasons this writer feels a stay back at Manchester United if settled will be the better option for the top scorer at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

First, he is extremely lucky to be playing at United. Ighalo's representatives can negotiate for other bonuses based on appearances and  goals.

Then the ongoing pandemic makes it absolutely frightening to return to China despite recent news that the mortality rate has drastically reduced especially in the Wuhan region. Security matters.

Ighalo's stay at United will give his family and his ardent fans peace of mind.

In addition to extra bonuses, endorsement deals can also be part of the packages he could enjoy as his football will be seen by a bigger audience.

Izuchukwu Okosi