Former Super Eagles forward Odion Ighalo has explained the major reason for his decision to extend his loan deal at Manchester United.

Ighalo initially joined Manchester United in a Deadline Day move in January and scored four times in eight appearances in all competitions prior to the suspension of the Premier League.

Speaking with another Ex-International, Ifeanyi Udeze on Brila FM on Thursday morning, Ighalo said he decided to stay in United over a big-money return to Shanghai because playing for the Manchester club is his childhood dream.

“Sometimes money is not everything in life, playing at Man Utd has been my childhood dream and it is not a decision I made just for now, He said.

“I chose Man Utd over a return to Shanghai for the future and people will realize that I made the right decision when the time is right.

“Money is good, Money is very very good, but Man United is my dream, I cannot jeopardize that dream because of money, Ighalo told brila.net exclusively.

“Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t say Money is not good but I didn’t just make the decision, I prayed about it and I believe something good can even come from the one year I will be spending in Manchester United.

The former Nigerian International also confirmed that he has one more year contract with Shanghai Shenhua, and he might still be returning to play football in China.

Ighalo’s current deal at Shenhua runs out in December 2022 and was expected to sign a contract offer until the end of 2024 worth £400,000 a week but he decided to stay in England.

Ighalo will now hope to pick up from where he left off, after winning United’s Goal of the Month award for March with a stunning strike in our last match, the impressive 5-0 victory over Austrian club LASK in the Europa League.

Ighalo’s tally of four goals in eight appearances so far includes at least one strike in each of his three starts – against Club Brugge, Derby County (2) and LASK.