JUST IN:  Man United fans react over the latest update on Odion Ighalo’s stay at Old Trafford

Jude Odion Ighalo January loan move to Old Trafford from Shanghai Shenhua has been an amazing one as the 30-year ex-Nigerian international instantly hit the ground running despite his deadline day transfer being widely criticized.

Ighalo has been an immediate force to the United squad

The former Super Eagles hitman won the hearts of the Red Devils fans scoring four goals from three starts for United.

Meanwhile, Ighalo who has been a lifelong Red Devils fan and had desired to extend his stay at Old Trafford is set to leave United this week and return to his club Shangai Shenhua unless there is a last-minute breakthrough in negotiations between United and his parent Chinese club National Daily has learned.

Ighalo who arrived at Old Trafford during the last January transfer window on a loan deal until the end of the season will have his short-term contract expired on May 30.

Though the suspension of football due to the coronavirus pandemic and the consequent delay to ending the season has seen all Premier League teams agree that clubs can temporarily extend contracts of players whose deals are coming to an end this summer, but this process is however subject to agreement with his parent club.

However, National Daily gathered that United are keen to keep Ighalo until the season is resumed and played to a completion, but there has yet to be progress in negotiations with Chinese Super League side Shangai Shenhua as they want to have the ex-Nigeria international back to begin preparations for the resumption of the Chinese Super League.

Though there is no definitive date for action to resume in China, but a lack of squad depth means Shenhua see Ighalo as a key part of their squad.

Ighalo and his United’s team mates returned to training at the their Carrington base last week after the approval for socially distanced sessions even as they hope to embrace the latest contact training sanction to intensify their training sessions.

Most Man United fans will hope for a breakthrough in the negotiations between United and Shangai Shenhua to keep Ighalo for at least the completion of this season due to his remarkable impact to the squad.