The hope of former Nigeria’s Super Eagles striker, Obafemi Martins’ potential transfer to the Chinese Super League club, Shanghai Shenhua this season is in jeopardy if Odion Ighalo’s permanent stay with Manchester United does not go through.
Ighalo, who joined the English Premier League side on a loan deal from Shanghai Shenhua is hoping he will be offered a permanent stay with the Manchester outfit in the upcoming transfer window.
Martins, who is currently training with Shanghai outfit with a hope of replacing Ighalo, scored for the Shanghai Shenhua blue team in the 2020 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Blue and White Competition held at the Shenhua Kangqiao base earlier this week.
With the Chinese Super League permitting clubs to have only five foreigners on their payroll but only four on the pitch, Martins is unlikely to be offered a contract if Ighalo returns to Shanghai Shenhua in the coming weeks.
Shanghai Shenhua currently with five foreigners on their books including Ighalo, Stephan El Shaarawy (Italy), Giovanni Moreno (Colombia), Stéphane Mbia (Cameroon) and Kim Shin-wook (South Korea).
Manchester United are willing to extend Ighalo’s loan deal rather than making his move permanent while Shanghai Shenhua want him back in China immediately after his loan deal expires.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
