China Super League
SHANGHAI SHENHUA ADAMANT ON IGHALO’S RETURN TO CHINA
Manchester United’s attempts to extend odion ighalo;s loan deal have reached an impasse. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to keep the striker until the end of the Premier League season by negotiating an extension to his current agreement, which expires on May 31.
But Shanghai Shenhua are demanding the Nigeria international returns to China for the start of the Chinese Super League campaign, meaning Ighalo could have played his last game for United.
As reported by Standard Sport last week, at present United are only pursuing a short-term deal, rather than a permanent move for 30-year-old who has scored four goals in three starts since arriving in January.
Shanghai are believed to want £20million for Ighalo, who Solskjaer admitted had played his way into a potential transfer before the season was halted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The former Watford forward’s original deal did not include an option to buy, with United only ever seeing him as a short-term solution before turning their attention to leading targets.
It is understood Solskjaer still wants to sign a central striker as competition for Anthony Martial in the summer – but targets like Timo Werner and Moussa Dembele remain at the forefront of his thinking.
While Solskjaer is eager to keep hold of Ighalo, Marcus Rashford’s return to fitness during lockdown means his attack will be boosted by time United return to action.
Even if United decide to pursue a permanent deal it would require Ighalo to take a massive reduction in salary, which is believed to be in the region of £300,000-a-week at Shanghai.
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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