John Barnes has said that Manchester United would be paying above the odds if they agreed to sign Odion Ighalo on a permanent deal for £20million.
Ighalo moved to Old Trafford on deadline day in January and impressed before the season was brought to a halt, scoring four goals in three starts.
Initially brought in as a stopgap to cover for Marcus Rashford’s back injury, Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted earlier in the season that Nigeria international Ighalo had played himself into contention for a permanent deal.
Previous reports suggested that the striker’s parent club, Shanghai Greenland Shenhua, would demand £20million from United for the player if Solskjaer was thinking about keeping him at Old Trafford.
Speaking to Bonus Code Bets, however, Barnes explained that – with the current financial uncertainties surrounding football expected to push transfer fees down – United should be looking for cheaper alternatives.
The former Liverpool striker also admitted, though, that Ighalo’s form presents a forward who would be a “decent signing” in normal circumstances.
“When you think about Odion Ighalo, a proven goal scorer and has experience in the Premier League, then £20m is very good value in this market,” Barnes said.
“However, if you are looking at the current situation with coronavirus and the transfer market, with a player who won’t necessarily start every game, he is not worth the money.
“Under normal circumstances, £20m is nothing for a player in the transfer market, If I look at an overall player, someone who is happy to be a squad player and will help back-up players like Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, then yes, he would be a decent signing for Manchester United.”
While reports are suggesting that United are considering offering Ighalo a permanent deal at Old Trafford, it has also been claimed that they are struggling to keep him until the end of the season.
read also:Man Utd in serious Ighalo dilemma after stern Shanghai Shenhua demand
While the Premier League agreed to provide short-term extensions to players whose contracts run out on June 30 in order to see them through the season, Ighalo’s short-ter
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