Former Manchester United striker Michael Owen has stated that Nigeria's Odion Ighalo deserves his contract extension at the Old Trafford club, UK outlet Metro reports.
Critics raised alarm when the Shanghai Shenhua of China striker initially arrived the club during the January transfer window, but he quickly silenced them with four goals in his first three starts.
The 30-year-old whose six-month loan deal elapsed at the end of May eventually secured a loan extension at the Premier League club that would see him remain at Old Trafford until January 2021.
"I like him, I like him a lot," Michael Owen said to Premier League productions.
"I know people turn their nose up at him because he's come from Chinese football or because he's on loan, he's not a £60m player or whatever. But I tell you what, I like him.
"He's maybe not the full-time No.9 for Manchester United permanently but when you've got [Anthony] Martial, when you've got Ighalo, when you've got [Marcus] Rashford, all of a sudden you've got a bit of pace, a bit of pace, a bit of guile."
Meanwhile, Manchester United may are reportedly closing in on landing Argentine playmaker Thiago Almada who is also wanted by Arsenal.
The 19-year-old midfielder is currently contracted to Velez Sarsfield 2023 but the Red Devils are confident of luring him to Old Trafford this summer.
Almada, who has been dubbed new Lionel Messi has not only attracted the attention of Man United, Manchester City are also monitoring his situation in his home country.
SunSport reports that the Citizens are hoping they can bring in the attacker as a replacement for outgoing David Silva, but the Gunners have labeled him one of their top targets this summer.
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