Manchester United were involved in difficult negotiations with Shanghai Shenhua before extending Odion Ighalo's loan deal at Old Trafford, according to Sky Sports News reporter James Cooper.

The Red Devils announced earlier this week that the 30-year-old will remain on loan with the club until the end of January 2021.

Ighalo initially joined United in this year's winter transfer window and scored four times in his first eight appearances for the club before football was postponed in March.

The centre-forward had been due to return to his parent club at the end of May, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side eventually extended his stay after complicated talks with the Chinese outfit.

"The deal to keep Odion Ighalo at the club has been one of United's recruitment priorities since football was put on hold and, with the prospect of a lot of games in a compressed period, retaining a player of his pedigree was considered crucial," said Cooper.

"That doesn't mean to say it was an easy negotiation, however. The initial loan deal secured in the few remaining hours of the January window hadn't been an easy one to conclude, and going into talks to extend his stay further wasn't something those involved were particularly relishing either... once again the deal got done, but it wasn't plain sailing and it was hung in the balance last weekend."

United are due to return to Premier League action away to Tottenham Hotspur on the weekend of June 19-21.