Man Utd takeover: Solskjaer to return if Sheikh Jassim buys club

Tom Hancock

• 19 Jun 2023 14:42 BST
• 3 min read

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could make a surprise return to Manchester United if Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani succeeds in buying the club.

Solskjaer was Man Utd’s last permanent manager before the appointment of Erik ten Hag, being given his marching orders in November 2021 after a miserable start to the season.

But the former striker remains a legend at Old Trafford – not least for scoring the winner in United’s incredible 1999 Champions League final comeback win over Bayern Munich – and there could yet be another role for him at the club for whom he made more than 300 appearances and bagged over 100 goals.

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Last month, it was reported that should Jassim take over at Old Trafford, he would seek to bring back some Man Utd legends – and Solskjaer could be among them.

The Norwegian – who has also managed Molde and Cardiff City – has been out of work since leaving United but has backed himself to get back into the game. Speaking last month, he said: “I’ve got another job in me, if it’s the right chance and exciting enough.

“There are so many clubs, but I’m not going to work just for the sake of working. It has to be something special, a new culture, or a club that really excites me. Or maybe they will want me back at the club [Man Utd] in some capacity, who knows?”

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Crunch time in takeover saga

Sheikh Jassim, a prominent Qatari banker and a member of the Gulf state’s ruling royal family, appears to be favourite to take ownership from the Glazers Man Utd: last week, it was reported that he was negotiating exclusivity for the chance to complete a full buyout.

But Sir Jim Ratcliffe – founder of chemicals conglomerate INEOS and a lifelong United fan – hasn’t been ruled out of the race yet.

However, unlike Sheikh Jassim, it is thought that Ratcliffe would allow the Glazer family to maintain their shares in the club.