Man Utd loanee Ighalo set for China return after failed negotiations

Odion Ighalo celebrates at full time during the Premier League clash between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford, England, March 8, 2020. /VCG

Back in late January, when Odion Ighalo picked up a phone call from his agent confirming that he has sealed a last-gasp loan move to Manchester United from Shanghai Shenhua, the striker ecstatically declared it was "a dream come true."

Over three months later, as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the world, putting the Premier League and almost all sporting events on hold, Ighalo's dream journey is inevitably set to come to a premature end.

According to multiple British media outlets, United failed to agree a loan extension with Shenhua after rounds of negotiations, which means Ighalo will return to the Chinese Super League (CSL) after his loan deal expires on May 31.

Manchester United's Odion Ighalo trains on his own again in a public park in Cheshire, England, May 15, 2020. /VCG

A lifelong United fan, Ighalo was signed on a temporary contract in the winter transfer window by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who is keen to find a replacement for Marcus Rashford, who was sidelined with a back injury.

The 30-year-old quickly adapted to his new life during his short stint at Old Trafford, scoring four goals in eight appearances. Solskjær had indicated he would like to keep him for the rest of the season, while Ighalo also had made it clear he wants to see out the campaign and potentially win a trophy with the English giants.

However, Shenhua proved strong-willed during negotiations and insisted the player return as planned as the new CSL season is expected to kick off in late June after a coronavirus-forced postponement.

Ighalo's United future was also not helped by the fact that Rashford is fit again after recovering well from the injury and Solskjær is focusing on longer-term targets, instead of short-term solutions.

Odion Ighalo dribbles during the China Super League clash between Shanghai Shenhua and Hebei China Fortune at Shanghai Hongkou Football Stadium, March 10, 2019. /VCG

Shenhua's determination to bring Ighalo back is well-founded. The lethal target man had scored 33 goals in 82 games for Premier League side Watford before moving to Changchun Yatai in 2017. After two seasons with the CSL strugglers, he then transferred to Shenhua and netted 10 goals in 19 games.

A Nigerian international, Ighalo has scored 16 goals in 35 games for his country, and played in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.