Manchester United fans tell club how to solve Odion Ighalo problem

Odion Ighalo is set to leave Man Utd at the end of the week following the expiration of his loan deal at Old Trafford.

Manchester United fans have made it clear that they want the club to sign another striker permanently this summer - be it Odion Ighalo or somebody else.

United came in for heavy criticism when they signed Ighalo on deadline day in January after Erling Haaland moved to Borussia Dortmund and hit the ground running in the Bunedsliga.

Yet the Nigerian soon silenced his doubters as he made a great start to life at his boyhood club, scoring four goals in just three starts and proving himself to be a useful option off the bench in Premier League matches.

Ighalo has established himself as a cult hero among the Old Trafford faithful though, sadly, his time at the club may have already reached its end.

The 30-year-old's loan deal expires on May 31 and as United's season is set to stretch far beyond that due to the current suspension it's looking like they will have to complete their remaining games without him.

MEN Sport understands that Ighalo will likely return to parent club Shanghai Shenhua at the end of the week as they are keen for the striker to return for the start of the Chinese Super League, likely to be in late June or early July.

It's understood that United are keen to keep Ighalo for the rest of the campaign and have held talks with Shanghai, but, as things stand, he has played his last game for United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Tuesday that United are still hopeful a deal can be reached.

“We’re in dialogue," the Norwegian told MUTV. "They’ve been great towards us, his club, and allowed him to play for his dream club. Hopefully he can finish off what he started, hopefully with a trophy for us. At the moment, nothing has been agreed. We’re just waiting to see."

The prospect of losing Ighalo hasn't gone down well among many supporters and some would like to see him signed permanently in the summer transfer window, whenever that might open.

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MEN Sport asked United fans: "With Odion Ighalo likely to leave United this week, what should the club's striker plans be in the transfer window?"

The poll winner with 47.1 per cent of the 1,266 votes was to sign him permanently, with many fans clearly believing that Ighalo has done enough to earn another chance at the club in his eight appearances.

Then 39.9 per cent said they would like to see the club recruit a different new striker, while 13 per cent of the voters said United should stick with their current attacking options.