Odion Ighalo has reportedly been offered an eye-watering £400k-a-week contract by Shanghai Shenhua to try to convince him to stay at the club rather than joining Manchester permanently.
The Nigerian striker made the surprising loan move to Old Trafford in January, but despite many questioning whether he was good enough he has so far been an unmitigated success, scoring four times and creating one assist in eight games before the season was suspended.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is said to have been so impressed with the 30-year-old that he has already been convinced to sign him permanently, and Ighalo is also thought to be keen on signing a contract with the club he supported as a child.
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But according to Sky Sports Shanghai are desperate to keep hold of their prize asset, and have made him a lucrative offer to try to tempt the player to reject United.
Ighalo’s current deal expires in December 2022, and the new contract offer would extend it for two more years until December 2024.
It remains to be seen what he decides on, but there is no doubt United have a special place in his heart, with Ighalo describing it as a “dream come true” to play for the club.
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COMMENTS
Odion….at this juncture, I think you should jettision your childhood nostalgia and focus strictly on business.
If Man U is not ready to offer you a permanent deal with a starter’s shirt “guarantee” and AT THE VERY LEAST £250k per week then it’s not worth it staying back.
You’ve got nothing to prove to anyone (home or abroad) anymore. They said you are not good for Nigeria, you silenced them with 16 goals in 35 games. They said you are not good for Man Utd you silenced them with 4 goals (including one assist and 3 very close misses) in your first 360 minutes of football. You gat nafing to prove to anyone. The shorter the sweeter.
£400k per week will take you to another level.
It’s time to talk business…! I’m available if you need a business/financial adviser. Lol
Dr.Drey, my guy Ighalo is not playing for the money again oh. If he can manage to win anything with Man United, he ha already won in the fact that he played for this Top club.
My take, Ighalo should take his firepower to another club, not because of the money but the records he keeps breaking…)He was called to break records).
Men, I’m rolling with Dr. Drey on this one. 400K pounds sterling a week is nothing to sneeze at. Fulfilling childhood dream is nice, but men, business is business.
The reality is that there are not many people on the planet right now who can comfortably turn down a deal like this. Even a billionaire in US dollars will be sweating bullets turning down a 400k pounds sterling a week deal. So Odion, shine your eyes. Time to talk business.
Dr Drey, you are the man. Nigerian hatred has again and again deprived the Nigerian people from reaping the sweet fruit of Ighalo’s striking prowl continuously. May l put it this way to the readers here that no Nigerian player, dead or alive, has ever made monetarily what this ‘super star Ighalo’ have made professionally. There are some folks within Nigerian football community who can not handle that. Instead of bringing him nearer, they opted to be seeing him from afar. “WHEN GOD IS FOR YOU, NO HATRED CAN STOP YOU”. Bishop Idahosa.
In the meantime, sweet life goes on for Odion.
* Odion means FIRST in Edo language. I love calling him ODION because he really live to that expectations.
Stay home and stay safe.
_Early Retirements_
I think the NFF should embark on something like a “study” to explore why some Nigerian players retired early when it was clear that the have more to offer the national team at the time of their retirements.
As we all can see, Ighalo still has loads to offer.
My thinking behind this is so we don’t find ourselves in this position again – or at least reduce its likelihood.
_Casualties_
Ighalo – retired and continues to play well.
Enyeama – retired when his services were still required.
Anichebe – retired unhappy about his treatment when he was injured.
V Moses – retired as a huge fan favorite.
U Okechukwu – retired after the shambles of France 98.
N Igiebor – vowed never to honour Super Eagles invitation under Rohr.
E Emenike – retired on the back of criticisms after goal drought.
Efforts were often made to beg these players to come back, these often proved futile.
In roughly the last 20 years, we have had about 7 quality players prematurely retire from active national team service.
That is a rate of 1 premature retirement every 3 years. That is way too much.
If this trend continues, it may be any of Osihmen, Chukwueze or Moses Simon who would leave the scene in the next 2 years.
It is a miracle that the likes of Akpeyi and Ezenwa haven’t already thrown in the towel prematurely whilst it is a matter of much speculation that John Obi Mikel retired at the time he actually wanted – he has been playing well in Turkey before his contract was terminated by consent.His contemporaries Messi and Ronaldo are still available for their countries.
The NFF needs to embark on a study to explore the reasons behind early retirements.
What role is played by fans?
What role is played by the NFF?
What role is played by the media?
What role is played by bloggers?
What role is played by misguided social media posts?
Why do these players lose their determination,drive, desire to achieve big things for the Super Eagles?
We all have to take a long hard look at ourselves and change our ways where required.
What is happening now regarding Ighalo should never happen again or at least should be very rare occurrences.
@deo. My brother i think some of the above mentioned names retired from pride and lack of patrotism. They dont have to be begged they should stay with their be clubs. For example ighalo and victor moses both of them are not through patrots. I kno dr drey will always give the blame to inocent nigeria fans who you and i have known since history of our football, i will never come to terms with him on that aspect trying to put a player above a fan. Customers are always right in terms of business and in football the spectators and fans are actualy ur customers they always have rights. Its also thesame in music. As for emenike and enyaema i think it has alots to do with sunday holiseh that holigant of a coach. Mikel obi cant stand the fact to be a benjamin with the present eagles i can understand his retirement. Anichebe and igiebor those guys where even lucky to have worn the eagles jersey bcos they actually didnt deserve it. In addition i will also say some retirement i caused by our coaches there are some real patrotic players who can put their life for the eagles but the coaches will just stop inviting them for some unknown reasons players like wilson oruma, osaze odemwingie, ike uche and kalu uche, ogenyi onazi, sylvester igboun, sani keita, austin ejide obafemi martins. And many others. That really have true love for the eagles and they dont hide the feelings yet we just put them aside and make them feel needless.finally I will also blame the fedration for their lack of funding and preparations for the team. Any player that feels too big(ighalo and v moses) they can both go to hell as far as i am concern i will not tolerate such claiming that fans insult or i have giving enough to say goodbye. They are not better than our innocent soldiers and police who took bullets and looses their lives for the Nation. Up naija and up super eagles we shall lift 2022 wcup gold or bronze its a promise not a hope.
Thanks Collins. You make some valid points as always however to say that Ighalo and Victor Moses lacked patriotism seems a little bit harsh.
Both players had enough national pride and professionalism to accumulate 73 caps and amass 38 goals between them in just 6 years.
What I want you and I to explore is why the flame of those national pride and patriotism extinguished quicker than it sh have.
Also, with all due respect, Nosa Igiebor and Victor Anichebe were professional footballers of high integrity. They were invited and heeded the call of their fatherland. To say they did not deserve their call ups is quite presumptuous.
What you need to realise is that not every 23 players in any Super Eagles squad at any point in time will be your cup of tea. Me too, I am not crazy about all of our players. But I respect them and I think the coaches have seen something in them to invite them.
Anichebe served Nigeria in both Under 23 (where he contributed to a silver medal at the Olympics) and the senior national team. Nosa’s long range screamer in a friendly match against Venezuela (clip provided below) was one of 2 goals he registered for the Super Eagles with the few caps he had.
I like what you said about players like Sylvester Igboun, Aminu Umar and Anthony Nwakaeme being excluded from the Super Eagles squads but there can only be that many players who can be involved at any point in time.
I am not saying insults or criticisms from fans is the sole reason why some footballers are retiring earlier than they should but it is undoubtedly a factor. But, I also think that footballers themselves should be resilient and impervious to effects to sustained negative feedback.
Perhaps it is ‘occupational hazard’.
After all said and done, you will agree with me that we all have to do the best we can to ensure that our best legs can continue to serve us for as long as their legs can carry them.
Everyone: fans, players, media, Bloggers, pundits and the footballers themselves all have a part to play in this.
https://youtu.be/qUQVXGect-Y
@deo i agree with you that all players are definately not our choice but as for igiebor and anichebe they where giving enough chances but they where pretenders. It also later cought up with them and shown in their clubs. U can see that keshi needed igiebor and believed in him at 2013 afcon but he could not even trap the ball if not for onazi and sunday mba who step up to show class we will still be celebrating 2 nations cup. As for the olympic igiebor and is co they failed to qualify for 2012 olympics. Anichebe played for eagles becos he was an everton player he wasnt a good player for eagles at all, The olympic he went to he wasnt even a starter he was just lucky i watched every match he played. Talking about our hot guys ighalo and moses if you deny your people wen they still need you its simply selfishness and pride, i know wat i am saying my brother jay jay and yekini played till they where obviously getting old these guys are just feeling too big for the nation, do you know how many insults messi have recieved from the argentine fans? After over 100 goals d maria and aguero do you know how many goals they have scored and how many caps they are still available. Early retirement from players started in england and nigerians just like to immetate bad things. Zidan and makalele was forced out of retirement to play 2006 world cup even eto or ronaldinho will still play if the country need them. Believe me moses is feeling too big i can feel it from is artitude even before he retired always selecting matches to attend. Ighalo is actualy a patrotic player but he feels osihmen is up to the task thats why he is stepping aside, just trying to get back at the fans for 2018 insults why didnt he retired immediately after the world cup. Musa have always bin called names. Some people even says he runs faster than the ball but he is a real naija and i love him for that reason. In adition i want u to forgive my words sometimes i like saying it as it is
Hehehehehe….”do you know how many insults messi have recieved from the argentine fans?”
Do you also know the number of times Messi has retired from the Argentine national team only to be begged by the coaches and FA to come back…??? Or did NEPA take light in your street when Ighalo announced he will retire from the SE after 2018 WC (when people like you who think it is their right to insult players went online to insult his wife, mother and children and as far as going to his family house to burn it down…??). Was it not the Coach and the NFF that pleaded with him (and Mikel too) not to retire as at then…?
Footballers are made of wood…they don’t have emotions, that’s why you feel you can insult and molest them the way you like and they shouldn’t react. But I had not even insulted you here yet the other day but you went inches close to loosing your sanity….Lmao, but others should thank you and bow down before you (as a sign of their patriotism) for insulting them. My man, there’s no better description of Hypocrisy than that.
Several times, you and your unforgiving likes have said Ighalo is not good enough for Nigeria….he’s not the type of player we need in the SE….he is useless…he’s this, he’s that…and the young man said ok…since I’m not good enough for your national team….let me leave before you set my house ablaze again…and then you come here to say he’s not patriotic or that he is arrogant…?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you feel it’s your right to insult players and nothing will happen, then you are no different from racists who throw bananas or chant monkey noises at black players.
You can hit me for my choice of words, but I’m also just saying it as it is.
You make good points as always. Thanks brother.
Stay safe.
@Collins, the message above is for you.