Ole Gunnar Solskjaer open to permanent Ighalo deal

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said that he is open to a permanent deal for Odion Ighalo, should the striker impress during his short-term loan stint with the club.

The Nigeria international joined the Red Devils from Shanghai Shenhua on transfer deadline day last month and he has since been training aside from his teammates as a precautionary measure after his move from China.

Ighalo is expected to travel with the team for the Chelsea clash tonight but it is unknown whether the marksman will be handed his debut against Frank Lampard's side.

Amidst this, Solskjaer has talked up the possibility of Ighalo penning a permanent deal with the club, should he make a good impression over the next three-and-a-half months.

"If it's permanent or if it's a loan, if you impress as a player, if you impress as a person, if you can help this group improve, of course there's a chance we'll look at extending things and signing," he told MUTV.

United are currently five points adrift of the Champions League places after Tottenham Hotspur's victory over Aston Villa yesterday. They will be hoping to close the gap in tonight's clash against the Blues.