Ole Gunnar Solskjaer completely scraps management return plan after Man Utd twist
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was planning to continue his break from management until Manchester United came calling. Solskjaer, 52, has emerged as a leading contender to temporarily replace Ruben Amorim in the Old Trafford dugout.
The Norwegian would take the job on an interim basis, just as he did seven years ago before earning the role permanently. United want to wait until the summer to decide on a permanent successor to Amorim, who was sacked by the hierarchy on Monday.
Darren Fletcher has been put in charge for Wednesday's trip to Burnley, the same day Solskjaer met with the club's top brass to discuss the role, as he did on Tuesday. Fellow ex-United player and club legend Michael Carrick did the same and it can't be ruled that the pair will team up, having worked together for the entirety of Solskjaer's three-year reign which ended in November 2021.
Until he was appointed Besiktas manager last January, Solskjaer had been off the touchline since leaving Old Trafford. The former United striker, who made 366 appearances for the club, had previously been working for UEFA as a technical observer.
But his time at Besiktas came to an end in August when the Turkish club failed to qualify for Conference League, losing to Lausanne-Sport - coincidentally owned by United's co-owners, INEOS - in the play-offs. Following his dismissal, Solskjaer didn't have plans to make an imminent to return to management.
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But as reported by the Sun, United's call has changed everything. Solskjaer, who recently relocated to Cheshire, is said to have told a confidant last week that he wasn't looking to get back into management any time soon.
However, the 52-year-old is keen on the idea of returning to the United hot seat. Solskjaer and his wife, Silje, are living in Cheshire while their children remain back home in Norway. Their oldest son, Noah, plays for Stjordals-Blink while daughter Karna plays for Aalesunds.
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In 2014, Solskjaer confirmed that he'd be willing to return to United. "If the family [United] asks, I would say yes every day of the week," he told a Q&A at the Oslo Business Forum. "It feels wrong to talk about jobs that other people have now, but I would say yes, of course."
After taking over from Jose Mourinho in December 2018, Solskjaer led the Red Devils to an incredible run of form. United won 14 of their 17 games while Solskjaer was interim manager, and he oversaw sixth, third and second-place finishes after being made permanent boss before he was axed following a poor start to the 2021-22 season.