TheCable

Watford FC have turned down a £38m offer for Odion Ighalo from free-spending Shanghai SIPG of China.

The Chinese club broke their transfer record this week when they signed Hulk from Zenit St Petersburg for £46.1m but they are unlikely to add Ighalo to their squad after Watford’s refusal to even consider the offer.

Ighalo scored 17 goals in 42 appearances last season and has been linked with a move away from the club but, Giampaolo Pozzo, owner of the English side, is not considering selling the striker, UK Guardian is reporting.

Watford have already rejected a bid for another forward, Troy Deeney, from Leicester City, with Pozzo adamant he wants to hold on to both players. Ighalo has four years left on his contract.

Shanghai, who are managed by the former England coach, Sven-Goran Eriksson, have the former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan in their squad as well as the newly-signed Brazilian star, Hulk.

Shanghai are fourth in the Chinese Super League after 15 games, 12 points behind leaders Guangzhou Evergrande.

After Quique Sanchez Flores left the Watford last season, the club signed Walter Mazzarri as his replacement. He will lead the team to its first Premier League game against Southampton on August 13.