Man Utd stance on Solskjaer ‘second stint in charge’ revealed; new ‘serious contender’ to replace ETH

Man Utd are not thinking about reappointing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer if they sack Erik ten Hag as manager, according to reports.

Solskjaer confirmed last week that he would jump at the chance to return to Old Trafford as the new Man Utd manager if they parted company with Ten Hag.

At a time when speculation is once again surrounding the future of Man Utd boss Ten Hag after an underwhelming start to the season, Solskjaer said he would “say yes every day of the week” if he was asked to return to Old Trafford.

The 51-year-old spent just under three years as the Red Devils boss, initially replacing Jose Mourinho on an interim basis in December 2018, but he has not managed since he was sacked in December 2021 – just a few months after achieving a second-placed finish in the Covid-affected 2020-21 campaign.

“If your family (Man Utd) needs you, then of course you will help,” Solskjaer said in a Q&A at the Oslo Business Forum, as reported by Norwegian outlet NRK.

“I would say yes any day of the week. It feels wrong to sit and talk about jobs that other people have. But of course I would say yes.”

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Solskjaer scored 126 goals in 366 appearances for Man Utd as a player, famously scoring their dramatic late winner in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich.

He has been working as a technical observer for UEFA but said he was keen to return to management in the right situation, having previously been linked with roles at Leicester, the Republic of Ireland and Besiktas.

But now GiveMeSport claim that INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are ‘not currently entertaining the possibility of handing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a second stint in charge’.

The report adds:

‘GMS sources have been informed that Solskjaer is not on Ratcliffe’s radar as a potential replacement for ten Hag and he will not be handed the opportunity to return to Manchester United for a second spell at the helm having also become a crowd favourite during his playing days.’

In the same interview, Solskjaer added he would be interested in the Norway job with Stale Solbakken having indicated he intends to step down after the 2026 World Cup campaign.

“I am a proud Norwegian, and if the question comes up, when Stale decides that he doesn’t want it anymore, I’m happy to enter into a conversation,” he said. “I am very proud of where I come from…

“It just has to be the right job and I depend on working with the right people.”

The Daily Star claims that Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi is now a ‘serious contender’ to replace Ten Hag if Ratcliffe ‘decides enough is enough’.

Ratcliffe ‘knows United are treading water under the Dutchman, and would target Inzaghi along with Gareth Southgate if he decided to make a change. Southgate has a lot of admirers at United and is close friends with [Dan] Ashworth.’