Premier League Rumors: Former Red Devil Urging United To Reconsider Ighalo

Manchester United has been plaguing the headlines, linked to several names they could go after come the next transfer window. It comes a bit of a surprise considering they may not have to target other players. They have players who could suffice, one that includes Odion Ighalo. For some reason, the Red Devils have put on hold plans to absorb the Nigerian, allegedly due to budget constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a previous post, it was mentioned how United was surprisingly holding off on getting Ighalo for good. But a reason cited at the time was the possible return of two key players. These were Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba. Ighalo's original team, Shanghai Shenhua, seemed ready to seal a deal with the Red Devils for Ighalo. The transfer fee to get the Nigerian was roughly $24 million, reasonable compared to the fees that their targets are carrying.

Aside from that, Ighalo has proven his worth. When he came in last January, he rebuffed critics who doubted he could fit into the system of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He made four goals in eight appearances, something that endeared him to United fans and Solskjaer. But for some reason, the outlook changed with clubs curbing down expenses due to the coronavirus.

It is also a mystery why United did not explore the possibility of another loan for Ighalo. It was the second-best alternative if they were not prepared to take him permanently. The Nigerian's loan deal will expire at the end of May. So far, no credible update on his status has been reported although there is still about a week left for that to change.

One person who says he would be shocked to see United pass on Ighalo is former Red Devil Owen Hargreaves. It appears he has been keeping tabs with the progress of the Nigerian and believes he deserves to stay when he spoke to talkSport. He believes that the Nigerian has brought in something special, not to mention that Ighalo was fulfilling a boyhood dream.

“He was somebody that whoever signed him hats off to you, because he's given them something different," Hargreaves said.

It would be surprising on his end if United would not reconsider its stand on Ighalo. He understands that several players are returning but the Nigerian is a good acquisition that deserves to stay. With his loan contract ending soon, a slight window of opportunity could see Ighalo staying. That should be known in the coming days.