Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made his return to football management, signing an 18-month contract with Turkish giants Besiktas in what marks his first managerial role since departing Manchester United in 2021.
The 51-year-old Norwegian, who famously scored the winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final for Manchester United, takes charge of the 16-time Turkish Super Lig champions as they currently sit in sixth place in the league table. The Istanbul-based club had been searching for a permanent manager since the departure of Giovanni van Bronckhorst in November.
Besiktas expressed their enthusiasm for the appointment, stating, "We believe Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will make significant contributions to our club, and we warmly welcome him to the Besiktas family, wishing him great success."
Solskjaer's most recent managerial position was at Manchester United, where he initially replaced Jose Mourinho as interim manager in December 2018 before earning a three-year contract in March 2019. During his tenure at Old Trafford, he led the Red Devils to a second-place Premier League finish and reached the Europa League final. However, his reign ended without securing any silverware following a disappointing run of results.
The appointment brings an interesting twist to Solskjaer's career, which has included two spells at Norwegian club Molde and a stint at Cardiff City before his high-profile role at Manchester United. As a player, Solskjaer's legacy at United is well-established, having netted 126 goals across 11 seasons from 1996 to 2007.
In a notable coincidence, one of Solskjaer's first major challenges will be an away fixture against Fenerbahce, managed by his predecessor at Manchester United, Jose Mourinho. The match is scheduled for May 4 in the Super Lig. Additionally, Besiktas currently sits just outside the Europa League play-off spots, trailing by a single point with two group stage matches remaining in a competition that also features his former club Manchester United.
