United can’t spend £20m on Ighalo – John Barnes

Liverpool and England legend John Barnes says Manchester United can’t afford to spend £20m on Nigeria forward Odion Ighalo in the post-coronavirus transfer market.

Ighalo’s loan deal with the Red Devils expires on May 31, with the striker expected to return to parent club Shangahi Shenhua for the new Chinese Premier League season.

The former Watford striker is reportedly available on a permanent deal for £20m, and Barnes who acknowledged the 30-year-old’s ability stated that the money is too much for a back-up forward amid the coronavirus crisis.

“When you think about Odion Ighalo, a proven goal scorer and has experience in the Premier League, then £20 million is very good value in this market,” Barnes was quoted by tribuna.com.

“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, £20 million 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.”

This comes bare days after Ighalo hinted that he would love to spend the rest of his career at Old Trafford.

With the resumption of the Premier League still in the balance, Ighalo’s immediate future remains uncertain