By Oyinlola Awonuga Balogun (The New Diplomat’s Entertainment, Fashion and Sports Desk)
Manchester United have confirmed Odion Ighalo’s return to Chinese club, Shanghai Greenland Shenhua after his loan deal with the Red Devils came to an end.
Ighalo linked up with the Premier League giants on a temporary basis in January 2020, initially until the end of May.
With the 2019/20 campaign continuing into the summer, United reached an agreement to extend Ighalo’s loan until January 2021.
“We’d like to thank Odion for his efforts while at the club and wish him all the best for the future,” reads a statement on the club website.
The Nigerian forward took to the social media to announce his departure from the club on Tuesday.
“It’s so hard to see this dream come to an end,” Odion wrote. “But I give God the glory for helping me fulfil this lifelong dream of putting on a Manchester United shirt as a player and represent this great club, it was indeed an honour I will forever cherish and be grateful for.
“To the manager, I say thank you for trusting and believing in me when many did not.
“To my amazing team-mates I will miss you guys, it was always fun and a time I look forward to training and spending time with all of you. And I pray we win the league and FA Cup this year.
“To the best fans in the world (the Manchester United fans) we have missed you, but we hear your voices cheering us on from afar, we can’t wait to have you all back on the stands.
“I’m still and would remain a MANCHESTER UNITED FAN forever. Once a Red, always a Red.
“Thank you @manchesterunited and God bless.”
Ighalo made 23 appearances for United across all competitions, scoring five goals.
