Manchester United evening headlines as Ighalo pleads for United stay and vote result confirmed

Here are the Manchester United evening headlines on Wednesday, May 27 including the latest on Odion Ighalo and the Premier League.

Here are the Manchester United evening headlines on Wednesday, May 27.

Ighalo makes personal request to extend loan

Talks regarding an extension of Odion Ighalo’s loan deal between Manchester United and Shanghai Shenhua are ongoing. Though the deal currently expires on Sunday, the centre-forward has submitted a personal plea to the Chinese club to let him remain at Old Trafford for the remainder of the season if and when it resumes.

Ighalo is a boyhood Manchester United fan and likely recognises that this is his only remaining chance to play for the team. Shenhua, however, are keener to offload him on a permanent basis, a move that does not interest United.

Talks between the clubs had been unsuccessful thus far and it was expected that Ighalo would return to China without getting to play out the remainder of the year.

However, MEN Sport understands that optimism in the Ighalo camp is growing that a deal can be struck between the two clubs that allows him to remain with United until the end of the current season.

Premier League provides training return update

As the Premier League’s Project Restart plans pick up the pace this week, clubs voted in favour of a return to full contact training.

Previously, teams had been training in small groups as per social distancing protocols. But as hope grows that the season can indeed be resumed and completed, teams are set to step up their training efforts this week.

“Premier League Shareholders today voted unanimously to resume contact training, marking another step towards restarting the Premier League season, when safe to do so,” a statement said. “Squads are now able to train as a group and engage in tackling while minimising any unnecessary close contact.”

The statement also says that the ‘health and wellbeing’ of the players, coaches and other staff is the chief priority and that protocols to minimise contact remain in place.

“The Premier League’s priority is the health and wellbeing of all participants,” it read. “Strict medical protocols are in place to ensure the training ground is the safest environment possible and players and staff will continue to be tested for COVID-19 twice a week.

“Stage Two of the Return to Training protocol has been agreed following consultation with clubs, players, managers, the PFA, LMA and the Government.

“Discussions are ongoing as work continues towards resuming the season, when conditions allow.”

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Mourinho predicts few transfers

After Manchester United chief executive Ed Woodward expressed caution regarding any big-money transfers in the upcoming summer transfer window, former Manchester United and current Spurs manager Jose Mourinho conveyed the same opinion.

Speaking to The Football Show on Sky Sports, Mourinho said that he and his staff have not even spoken about transfers despite the ongoing reports in the media.

“To be honest, I think at this moment it’s the last thing we are thinking about. At the moment at the club, we’re not really thinking about it,” he said.

“There are no talks about it because at this moment we think about safety, about following every rule, we’re trying to be perfect, it’s not just about the testing, it is about everything, we’re trying to be perfect in the club and we don’t think about it.

“I think it’s normal that we’re going to have a different market, I don’t see the world and especially the football world, ready for some crazy numbers that we are used to having and the crazy investments that some clubs and some leagues are used to doing.”