Transfers: Turkish giants Besiktas close to tempting the highest scoring Nigerian in 2021/22 back to Europe

The Super Eagles forward has turned back the hands of time in front of goal and is like fine old wine getting better with age

Turkish giants Besiktas are working on a deal to lure former Manchester United loanee Odion Ighalo back to Europe, according to reports from Turkey.

After spells at Granada, Udinese, and Watford, Ighalo left Europe in 2017 to join Chinese club CC Yatai in a deal worth over 20 million euros.

The Nigerian forward switched to Shanghai Shenhua two years later.

Manchester United paid Shenhua €12 million in January 2020 to take Ighalo on a loan deal that was initially meant to last six months but was extended to a year.

Just over a month after returning to Shenhua, Ighalo left China for Saudi Arabia, where he teamed up with Al-Shabab.

But he switched to league rivals Al-Hilal SFC at the end of January this year after Al-Shabab refused to allow him to play for Nigeria at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Ighalo, 33, has scored 28 goals in 39 games in all competitions this season, and his ten goals in 11 matches for Al-Hilal have fired the side to the brink of the Premier League title.

No other Nigerian forward has scored more goals than Ighalo this season.

Ighalo’s contract with Al-Hilal does not expire until next year. Still, the Asia Galácticos are reportedly looking to hand the forward a new two-year deal but at his current salary of 5.4 million euros.

Ighalo, however, requested a salary increase which Al-Hilal did not accede to, allowing Besiktas to step in and take advantage of the situation.

And according to Fotospor, the former Turkish champions have bid for Odion Ighalo and are willing to pay him a salary of 6 million euros.

Ighalo is, however, not close to agreeing to a deal with the Black Eagles.

The Super Eagles striker is keen on winning the first league title of his career with Al-Hilal, with the club level on points with leaders Al-Ittihad with only two games left.