‘Baseless fake news’ - Changchun Yatai rubbish Odion Ighalo England links

Changchun Yatai have vehemently denied reports that Odion Ighalo has received offers to leave China and return to the Premier League.

Sky Sports News claimed last week that the Nigerian striker would be willing to listen to offers from Premier League clubs, and the Birmingham Mail revealed that West Bromwich Albion were planning to recruit the former Watford hitman in January.

"There is a lack of journalistic integrity in some media outlets, whose low-budget fake news not only have negative influence on our players' training, but also put the whole CSL in jeopardy," Changchun Yatai president Liu Yuming told club official channel.

"Those baseless fake news spread quickly across the Internet and severely effect our preparations [for the new season]. The club have no choice but to put our players on the front line, so as to strike back at those fake news."

Liu Yuming also rubbished Bulgarian reports that they are considering a move for CSKA Sofia striker Fernando Karanga, stating that they are pleased with the Nigeria international who scored 15 goals in 27 Chinese Super League appearances in his debut season.

"We already have a brilliant striker in Ighalo. Why bother buying another foreign one?"