Odion Ighalo is winning his battle to remain at Manchester United after agreeing a new loan deal.
The Nigerian international is poised to extend his stay at Old Trafford until January 2021 after United agreed to pay a revised loan fee to Shanghai Shenhua.
Ighalo, 30, joined United in January from the Chinese Super League outfit and the terms of the original deal had been due to expire tonight.
Shenhua bosses had been keen to have Ighalo back in China for the start of the new season next month.
But travel restrictions and quarantine rules amid the coronavirus crisis along with Ighalo’s strong desire to remain with United longer, persuaded them to soften their stance and agree to extend the loan period.
Ighalo’s agent Atta Aneke said: “We are nearing agreement with Manchester United on an extended loan.
“The agreement will mean that Ighalo will remain with them until January 2021.”
Ighalo has been a big success since joining United, scoring four goals in eight appearances before the season was suspended due to COVID-19.
Ighalo’s current contract in China expires in December 2022, but Shenhua bosses have offered him a new deal worth more than £450,000-a-week.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted last week he wanted to keep Ighalo, and hoped he would go on to help his side win some silverware this season.
He said: “They’ve been great towards us, his club, allowing him to play. It’s been a dream for him.
“Hopefully he can finish off what he started, maybe with a trophy or two.”
The ex-Watford ace surprised many with his impressive displays in a red shirt during February and March.
And Solskjaer did not want to lose his back-up frontman with plenty to play for when the football season restarts, including United’s pursuit of Champions League qualification.
Marcus Rashford is back fit now and will be available come June 17 when games begin again.
But Ighalo is a useful option to have, especially as the fixture calendar will be congested for several weeks.
Ighalo will ultimately remain with United for around half of next season, although the start date of the 2020/21 campaign is unclear as yet.
The likely aim is to have a shortened summer break off the back of the two-and-a-half-month interruption, meaning the Premier League could be back underway next term as soon as late September.
That would allow for less disruption to next season’s schedule ahead of Euro 2020 and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo finally taking place next summer.