Premier League Rumors: Manchester United Needs To Settle Ighalo Status Soon To Avoid Complications

Currently on loan to Manchester United, the future of Odion Ighalo may be a big issue soon. The loan deal is set to end on May 31 but the future of the 30-year-old Nigerian remains unclear. Complicating matters is the fact that football action has been paused due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ighalo flipped the script when he came in to pinch-hit for Marcus Rashford. He arrived from China in January and has put on an impressive performance over at Old Trafford. He has scored four goals in three starts and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is pretty much impressed. In fact in a previous post, Manchester United seems ready to make Ighalo's stay permanent if they can strike a deal with Chinese Super League team Shanghai Shenhua.

It also appears Ighalo prefers to stay with the Red Devil. He is willing to take a pay-cut just to stay at Old Trafford. He gave up roughly $7.3 million this season, half of what he makes for Shanghai Shenhua.

But with the league on hold and most forced to go on self-quarantine, the contract of Ighalo is now left hanging. Tied up to that is when football action resumes, Goal.com reported. With no time table, the best Manchester United can do for now is request for an extension for Ighalo. That is unless they want to settle everything now and avoid complications moving forward.

"It doesn't hurt [living the dream] but he's here on merit, he's here because he is a goalscorer and a different type of striker for us," Solskjaer said in an interview with Sky Sports.

When asked to comment on his future, Ighalo preferred to keep it to himself. He believes that it would be improper for him to discuss his future at this stage, calling it a bit insensitive in a report from The Sun.

"Talking about other things now will not only be selfish but insensitive. I don’t even think about it. The challenge before us now is not a football one, but a global one."

For Ighalo, it is all about waiting for action to resume. It may take a while and the best thing he can do right now is keep himself safe from the COVID-19 strain. It is a much-needed break for all with most eager to see when Premier League action will resume.