English Premier League club Watford FC is reportedly deliberating a $48 million offer from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Greenland Shenhua FC for striker Odion Ighalo.
The Hornets are ready to let go of Ighalo this month as he has been \u00ab\u00a0out of form and out of favor\u00a0\u00bb in Watford boss Walter Mazzarri’s future plans at the Vicarage Road, according to the Mirror.
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Ighalo was acquired by Watford in the summer of 2014 from Italian Serie A squad Udinese Calcio. He went on to score 20 goals in 38 games in his first season with the Hertfordshire outfit, helping the team get promoted to the Premier League at the end of the 2014-2015 season.
The 6-foot-2 Nigeria international is currently on a big drop of form compared to his performance last season when he netted 17 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions. This term, his third with the club, Ighalo has only scored two goals in 18 games so far.
Ighalo is reportedly set to go down Mazzarri’s pecking order with the arrivals of M’Baye Niang and Mauro Zarate from AC Milan and Fiorentina respectively.
However, Ighalo is said to be favoring a move to the Far East to continue to have more first-team football and receive a $251,000 weekly wage from Shenhua, a significant increase from his current salary in England.
Speculations abound that Shenhua is planning to pair Ighalo with Carlos Tevez on the attack, which would be one of the best in the China top-flight if it pushes through.
Meanwhile, the Daily Star reported that Mazzarri has already hinted Ighalo has \u00ab\u00a0played his last game for the Hornets\u00a0\u00bb after receiving a \u00a338 million ($48 million) bid from Shenhua.
\u00ab\u00a0With Ighalo we know there are some offers. I just heard now there is a very important one, again we will evaluate,\u00a0\u00bb the coach said. \u00ab\u00a0I don’t like to say all the details because I don’t know the details. I know there is more than one… maybe from China. \u00a0\u00bb
\u00ab\u00a0He was always a very important player for this team but there are times when a player can end his time at one club and take a decision on his career,\u00a0\u00bb Mazzarri said. \u00ab\u00a0These decisions are for the club and the player and there is not much we can do,\u00a0\u00bb he added.<\/p>\n