Ighalo has delivered a better scoring rate than Rashford and Martial since joining United

Shanghai Shenhua plan to rebuff any attempt from Manchester United to extend Odion Ighalo’s loan move and will insist that the club must sign the Nigeria striker on a permanent deal instead.

Ighalo, 30, has performed well for United since they signed him on a four-month loan deal from his parent club in China on the final day of the January transfer window.

He has scored four goals for the club, at an average of one goal per 80 minutes, which is better than his fellow forwards Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood.

The coronavirus epidemic has presented United with a conundrum regarding the forward, however, as his loan deal expires on May 31. Given that the season is now likely to run beyond