Dimitar Berbatov has predicted that Manchester United offering Odion Ighalo a permanent contract might depend on their transfer dealings in the next transfer window.

United have been linked with moves for Borussia Dortmund super kid Jadon Sancho and Tottenham Hotspur captain Harry Kane but the retired Bulgaria international thinks it is unlikely both deals will go through because of the coronavirus pandemic, with the two attack-minded players rated in the region of £300 million combined.

With sporting activities postponed in most parts of the world, it is causing financial problems for clubs, so much so that players in the Premier League are facing a possible thirty percent reduction in wages.

"If Ighalo continues how he has done so far, scoring goals and helping the team, then I think he should be given another contract, but saying that you need to weigh up the situation," Berbatov said to Goal. 

"Sancho and Kane are two names being talked up with moves to the club at the moment, so you need to calculate what direction the club wants to go.

"Do they want to buy new strikers? If they do it would seem strange to keep Ighalo. With the current situation, I can't see them spending too much and I think it would make sense for Ighalo to stay."

Manchester United's Goal of the Month winner for March 2020, Ighalo has a deal with the Premier League giants until the end of next month.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel