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| Ole Gunnar Solskjær |
Solskjær was due to continue in a caretaker capacity until the end of the season but has revived the team so impressively since taking over from José Mourinho in December that his appointment on a longer-term basis has been announced by the club.
“From the first day I arrived, I felt at home at this special club,” Solskjær said. “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.”
Solskjær scored 126 goals in 366 appearances for United between 1996 and 2007 and also managed the club’s reserve team until the end of 2010. He was appointed caretaker manager on 19 December 2018 and won his first eight games in charge on the way to an overall record of 14 victories and two draws in 19 games, amassing more Premier League points than any other club during that time.
The Norwegian has taken United into the last eight of the Champions League by beating Paris Saint-Germain and has put the side in strong contention for a top-four finish. He went 12 matches unbeaten in the Premier League before a defeat at Arsenal in early March.
That was followed by United’s exit from the FA Cup at Wolves before the international break but United have confirmed they regard Solskjær as the best long-term option. Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino had been regarded as a strong candidate for the job.
Ed Woodward, United’s executive vice-chairman, said: “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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