Former Manchester United right-back Gary Neville has advised Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to back out of a £20m permanent move for striker Odion Ighalo.
Ighalo signed for United in the January transfer window on a loan deal from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua and has contributed to the Old Trafford outfit’s cause by scoring four goals in eight appearances.
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The 30-year-old striker’s performances have been a surprise boost for the Red Devils, and it would not be too surprising now if the club tried to sign him permanently after his positive impact in his short time in Manchester.
However, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville feels Solskjaer shouldn’t spend £20m on Ighalo as he probably isn’t worth quite that much based on the brief success he’s had in the side.
Speaking about Ighalo on Instagram live, as cited in the Metro, Neville said:
“Is Ighalo worth £20m? Probably not in this market.
“He may have been if he continued before scoring goals but you probably don’t need now to spend £20m.”
Ighalo could prove to be a useful backup option for Solskjaer and his performances will likely have driven up his value. Still, with the financial impact of the coronavirus on clubs around the world, Neville has a valid point in saying that the Nigerian forward could be overpriced in this market.
Most Man Utd fans, however, have warmed to Ighalo after the way he’s settled in the side and we’re not sure they’ll agree with Neville’s analysis here.