Manchester United legend Solskjaer takes charge after Mourinho's ouster

Manchester United announced former player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as caretaker manager of the Premier League team until the end of this season following the ouster of coach Jose Mourinho.

The Norwegian, 45, earned folklore status among United fans in 1999 when he scored a last-gasp winner in the UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich to cap one of the most dramatic comebacks in European soccer history. He scored 126 goals in 366 appearances for United between 1996 and 2007.

Solskjaer went on to run the Manchester United reserve team from 2008 to 2011, and is currently manager of Molde FK in his home country. He will take temporary leave from that role during his time at United, the Norwegian team said on Twitter.

“Manchester United is in my heart and it’s brilliant to be coming back in this role,” Solskjaer said in a statement on the English club’s website. Former Manchester United assistant coach Mike Phelan will also re-join, working alongside current coaches Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna, the club said.

The new team will be considered for full-time appointments, depending on their level of success between now and the end of the season, according to a person familiar with the matter, who declined to be identified as no list of candidates has yet been drawn up.

Manchester United Plc shares rose 5.8 per cent in New York on Tuesday after the company parted ways with Mourinho following the team’s worst Premier League start in 28 years. It was the stock’s biggest gain since early 2017.

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