Newcastle United could look to elbow Manchester United aside and complete a permanent deal for on-loan Old Trafford striker Odion Ighalo, who is due to return to China in July.
Ighalo, 30, joined Manchester United on loan from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua in the January window – and has since impressed for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side before the global health crisis struck.
The former Watford ace has netted four goals in eight outings, and laid on an assist.
But his loan contract ends in July and Shanghai Shenhua expect the powerful ace to be available for the start of the Chinese season in July.
The only way in which Shenhua will let Ighalo remain in England beyond his loan is if Manchester United – or any other side – stump up their asking price for the striker, which is £20 million.
Newcastle is keen, if their takeover goes through.
Back in March, media reports claimed Shenhua had offered Ighalo an enormous £400,000-a-week deal to keep the Nigeria international – but the Chinese club have brought in ex-Toon star Obafemi Martins as his replacement.
Joelinton has struggled since his move to Tyneside, and it is clear for all to see that Newcastle’s prospective new owners need to bring in a centre-forward this summer as one of the club’s main transfer priorities.
Someone in the mould of Ighalo, who boasts plenty of power and goalscoring pedigree in the Premier League – having netted 17 times in 59 outings for Watford earlier in his career – would be perfect.
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