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Manchester United appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on a permanent basis

Ibrahim Mustapha

Manchester United have confirmed the permanent appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on a three-year deal.

The former United striker, who spent 11 years at Old Trafford as a player, had been in charge on a caretaker basis following the sacking of Jose Mourinho last December.

“From the first day I arrived, I felt at home at this special club,” Solskjaer said in a statement. “It was an honour to be a Manchester United player, and then to start my coaching career here.

“The last few months have been a fantastic experience and I want to thank all of the coaches, players and staff for the work we’ve done so far.

“This is the job that I always dreamed of doing and I’m beyond excited to have the chance to lead the club long-term and hopefully deliver the continued success that our amazing fans deserve.”

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The Norwegian has been rewarded with a full-time job following an impressive return of 14 wins from 19 games, a run which has reignited United’s bid for a top-four finish in the Premier League and seen them secure a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Former boss Mourinho parted ways with United after a tumultuous first half of the season left the team floundering in sixth place in the table – 11 points off the Champions League positions.

Following Solskjaer’s return, the team went on a remarkable 11-game unbeaten run in all competitions, winning 10.

United currently sit in fifth place, just two points behind Arsenal in fourth. The 32 Premier League points accrued under Solskjaer is more than any other club since he replaced Mourinho.

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And his appointment was greeted with delight by current and former United players alike, with club greats Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand and centre half Chris Smalling all taking to Twitter to congratulate Solskjaer.

The 46-year-old suffered his first defeat as manager in the Champions League round of 16 first leg against PSG. However, a dramatic turnaround in the return fixture saw United become the first side in the history of the competition to progress having lost the first leg at home by two or more goals.

Despite FA Cup elimination at the hands of Wolves in their last match, the United hierarchy still felt Solskjaer was the man for the job, an opinion shared by the players.

Midfielder Namanja Matic told ESPN earlier this week: “I will be happy if he stays, I hope he will”

Paul Pogba, who has scored 11 goals in Solskjaer’s 17 matches so far also threw his support behind his manager ahead of the announcement.

“Of course we want him to stay,” The Frenchman told Sky. “The results have been great. I have a great relationship with him, he has a great relationship with the players.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has developed a good relationship with his players (Getty)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has developed a good relationship with his players (Getty)

Ed Woodward, Executive Vice Chairman, added “Since coming in as caretaker manager in December, the results Ole has delivered speak for themselves.

“More than just performances and results, Ole brings a wealth of experience, both as a player and as a coach, coupled with a desire to give young players their chance and a deep understanding of the culture of the club. This all means that he is the right person to take Manchester United forward.”

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