London (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was on Wednesday named as Manchester United’s caretaker manager until the end of the current season following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
The former United striker will take charge of the first team with immediate effect and will remain in place while the club looks for a new full-time manager.
Mourinho was axed on Tuesday after just two-and-half years in charge at Old Trafford, with the 20-times English champions languishing in sixth place in the Premier League, 19 points behind leaders Liverpool.
Solskjaer, 45, will be joined by Mike Phelan as first-team coach, working alongside Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna.
“Manchester United is in my heart and it’s brilliant to be coming back in this role. I’m really looking forward to working with the very talented squad we have, the staff and everyone at the club,” said the Norwegian.
Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward said: “Ole is a club legend with huge experience, both on the pitch and in coaching roles.
“His history at Manchester United means he lives and breathes the culture here and everyone at the club is delighted to have him and Mike Phelan back. We are confident they will unite the players and the fans as we head into the second half of the season.”
United appeared to accidently announce the appointment on their website on Tuesday, with a video appearing on the club’s official website celebrating Solskjaer.
A video of him scoring the winner for United in their 1999 Champions League final triumph against Bayern Munich was accompanied with the headline ‘The most famous night of Ole’s career’.
Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg also appeared to confirm Solskjaer’s appointment, writing on Twitter: “Great day for Norwegian football. Good luck keeping control of the Red Devils.”
Solskjaer joined United as a player from Molde in 1996 and was part of the team that won the treble of the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in 1998/99.
The Norwegian’s first game in charge of Manchester United will be Saturday’s trip to former club Cardiff.
He managed the Bluebirds between January 2014 and September 2014, failing to stop them being relegated from the Premier League, returning to Molde in 2015.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino and former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane are among the bookmakers’ favourites to take the United job at the end of the season.
