Everton and Watford Target Ighalo Reacts To January Transfer Move To The Premier League

The former Nigeria international has refused to dismiss suggestions that he is looking to quit the Chinese Super League and return to Europe.

One-time Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo has revealed that, while he is enjoying his time in China, any concrete offer that would suit his family may see him tempted back to the English Premier League.

Everton and Newcastle are among the sides scrambling to secure the signature of the retired Super Eagles forward who recently signed off the 2019 league season in China.

The final round of the Chinese Super League was completed on the first day in December with Ighalo’s Shanghai Shenhua losing 3-0 to eventual champions Guangzhou Evergrande. The defeat saw Shenhua end 13th on the 16-team table, but coach Choi Kang-Hee’s men escaped the relegation spots by a solid 9 points gap.

However, Odion Ighalo can look back at another decent campaign where he netted 10 league goals in just 17 games, despite being sidelined for weeks due to injury.

The former Watford man also played his part as Shenhua shocked Shandong Luneng 3-0 to lift the Chinese FA Cup on December 6.

The big forward also had a fantastic year with the Super Eagles, scoring 5 goals at the African Cup of Nations in Egypt, to help Gernot Rohr side claim a bronze medal finish.

It is such goalscoring form that has seen the 30-year-old linked with a return to the Premier League with Watford leading the race to resign a man who scored 15 EPL goals in 37 games for them in 2016.

Ighalo finally reacted to the transfer rumours by expressing his desire to see out his contract with his Chinese club, only if a compelling deal does not surface.

“It’s been great in China, I just finished my third season, I am loving it and I am doing well there. We won the Chinese Cup and we are playing in the Asian Champions League which is very good,” Ighalo told the Punch via Sports Extra.

“I still have two years in Shanghai, but in football, you don’t know what will happen. Anything that comes up, and it’s okay for me and my family, fine. But if not, I am enjoying my life in Shanghai.”

Ighalo made 100 appearances for Watford before Changchun Yatai paid 23million euros for his services in January 2017.