China Super League
‘I TURNED DOWN BARCA’S OFFER; I DESERVE BETTER’, SAYS IGHALO
Contrary to wide held belief that FC Barcelona withdrew their interest in Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo during the last January transfer window, the Nigerian top striker has sensational claimed he turned down Barcelona’s offer.
According to Spanish sports publication, Tribuna, Ighalo told BBC that what he got from Barcelona was a loan offer which he declined as he had just finished the season as a second-top goalscorer in the Chinese league and didn’t want to play a secondary short-term role, even at Barca.
The 29-year-old Nigeria international Odion Ighalo has confirmed that he was offered a chance to join Barcelona but decided against it as he didn’t want to be just a back-up at the Camp Nou.
“My agent spoke to me about a loan interest from Barcelona. The club wanted a striker with La Liga experience and someone who understands Spanish football,” Ighalo told BBC.
”It was meant to be a six-month loan and strictly as a back-up striker. It was nice to hear that Barcelona were interested and any footballer would be more than happy to take it.
”But with due respect, I had just finished as the second top scorer in China with 21 goals, I deserve better and didn’t want to be a short-term player somewhere. We rejected it, it was an easy decision to make and I chose to stay in China by joining Shanghai Shenhua on a longer contract,” Ighalo concluded.
The Nigerian forward moved to Changchun Yatai from Watford in 2017 for 25 million pounds and became a goalscoring sensation there. In February he signed for Shanghai Shenhua. Ighalo used to play for Granada and Watford before joining the Chinese Super League side. During his Premier League times, he scored 27 goals in two seasons.
In January, Diario Sport reported about Barca’s interest in Ighalo, as the club was in search of a striker to replace Munir. In the end, the Catalans ended up signing Kevin-Prince Boateng on loan from Sassuolo for these purposes.
China Super League
China bans players with tattoos
Chinese authorities have banned footballers from getting tattoos and instructed national team players who have been inked to remove or cover them up to set a “good example for society”.
A growing number of high-profile Chinese players have been sporting tattoos, including international defender Zhang Linpeng, who has previously been told to cover up while appearing for both the national team and club side Guangzhou FC.
The General Administration of Sport of China (GAS) said in a statement headed, “Suggestions for strengthening the management of football players” that the Chinese Football Association would set out disciplinary requirements for national team players.
“National teams at all levels will strictly implement the relevant requirements of the management measures … (and) fully demonstrate the positive spirit of Chinese football players and set a good example for society,” it said.
It also said that for teams at Under 20 level and below the recruitment of players with tattoos was “strictly prohibited”.
The GAS added that national teams should organise “ideological and political education activities” that would “strengthen the patriotic education” of players.
Doing so would “enhance the sense of mission, responsibility and honour, and create a national team capable of conquering and fighting well and with excellent style of play”, it added.
China’s national team have failed to qualify for the World Cup finals since making their debut appearance in 2002 and look set to miss out on Qatar 2022.
-Reuters
China Super League
ODION IGHALO’S MANCHESTER UNITED DAYS GETTING OVER
Former Super Eagles’ hit man, Odion Ighalo is having his last days at his dream club, Manchester United as the extension granted by his Chinese club side, Shanghai Shenhua is nearing an end.
The extension lapses in January 2021. Even though Ighalo made instant impact when he initially joined the North England side, his influence has waned considerably to the extent that he had just nine minute of action in the current season of the Premier League.
Attention of Manchester United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is more on how to maximize the signing of Uruguayan striker, Edinson Cavani.
China Super League
OBAFEMI MARTINS PASSES CORONAVIRUS TEST IN CHINA
Former Super Eagles’ hitman, Obafemi Martins who at his peak was nicknamed ‘Obagoal’ is among players in the Chinese Super League who passed the Covid-19 test.
The reports have it that all players in the country where coronavirus originated last December have tested negative for COVID-19 as the season prepares to kick off on Saturday.
The campaign will begin after a five-month delay from the scheduled start, state news agency Xinhua reported.
A total of 1,870 individuals from the tournament’s two hubs – Suzhou near Shanghai and Dalian in the northeast of China – have undergone medical checks.
None of them tested positive for the disease that has caused havoc around the world, the report said.
Players and officials from the 16 participating teams will be confined to their hotel and parts of the stadiums and tests will be conducted once a week during the tournament, it added.
The CSL was originally scheduled to start on February 22 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Teams will play a round robin with the top four qualifying for an eight-team ‘championship’ stage and the bottom four from each group going into a ‘relegation’ phase.
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