Ole Gunnar Solskjaer passes message of hope to Odion Ighalo regarding permanent Manchester United transfer

Manchester United head coach, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has passed a message of hope towards Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo, suggesting the club could sign the diminutive forward on a permanent contract.

Ighalo, who joined the Red Devils in January on a loan deal until the end of the season as cover-up for the injured Marcus Rashford, scored his first Manchester United goal in the 5-0 Europa League win over Club Bruges and then scored his second and third goals in last night’s FA Cup win over Derby County.

And now Solksjaer says Manchester United could be so impressed by Ighalo that they take him away from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua and give him a permanent contract.

‘It doesn’t hurt [living the dream] but he’s here on merit, he’s here because he is a goalscorer and a different type of striker for us,’ Solskjaer told Sky Sports.

‘We might get to the summer and think we want to extend this, who knows? ‘He’s come in as a breath of fresh air as well. He had chances in his five minutes against Chelsea, he scored against Bruges, he had chances against Watford, he had a very good save [from a shot] against Everton – there have been good saves, he doesn’t miss the target very often.

‘Even for Anthony (Martial), Mason (Greenwood) and Marcus (Rashford) to learn that it is where the sharks are swimming. It’s comfortable outside the box and you can have a few shots.

‘It’s in there where it might be a bit tougher and you might get hurt – that’s where you get goals.’