Solskjaer hopes Ighalo deal can be extended

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still hopes Manchester United can strike a deal with Shanghai Shenhua as talks to extend Odion Ighalo’s loan go to the wire. Ighalo not only helped ease the attacking burden, with Marcus Rashford sidelined by a back injury, but the lifelong United fan chipped in with four goals in three starts. The coronavirus situation in China meant Shanghai Shenhua had been open to accommodating that loan deal, but the pandemic’s subsequent impact in England means play will now go on beyond the loan’s May 31 expiration date. Ighalo’s parent club have been reluctant to extend the loan as the Chinese season edges closer to getting under way, but Solskjaer has not given up hope on a deal being struck. United are all but through to the quarter-finals after winning their last-16 first leg match at LASK 5-0 in front of empty stands – a victory Solskjaer says showed they have the focus and mentality to perform behind closed doors. “Hopefully, they can as I said, step up and go to bigger training groups but so far it’s been good.” PA Related: Football Gossip [Read Sport]

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