Solskjaer finally signs at Old Trafford

After weeks of relative uncertainty over the future of interim Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Red Devils have put an end to any doubt by signing the Norwegian up to a three-year contact.

The 46-year-old arrived in Manchester to replace the beleaguered Jose Mourinho back in December 2018, and has since masterminded a remarkable upturn in results. United have fired their way back into the battle for the top four, and Solskjaer also masterminded the ‘miracle in Paris‘, to see Man United claw themselves into the quarter finals of the Champions League.

Solskjaer aiming for return to glory

Whilst Solskjaer has surpassed every expectation placed on him thus far, the true challenge will start now. Since Sir Alex Ferguson left Old Trafford in 2013, United have fallen down the Premier League pecking order and are no longer the dominant force in England they once were. The blue side of Manchester has taken control, whilst their bitter rivals from Merseyside are in this year’s title contention. Conversely, United find themselves in a fierce battle for a top four position, with the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham.

Ole’s at the wheel! We can confirm that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed as #MUFC manager.

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 28, 2019

The first challenge for the former United forward will be restoring them to consistent title challengers. This season will come too soon, but come the end of the 2019-20 season, fans will be expecting Solskjaer to have guided United back into contention for their first title since Ferguson’s final season.

Player decisions to be made

The other imminent challenge facing Ole is the future of several first team players. The likes of Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Antonio Valencia all see their contracts come to an end at the culmination of this season. Herrera is a particular worry for United fans, given his brilliant form since Solskjaer took over. With recent reports linking him to PSG, United fans will hope the recent permanent appointment will be enough to see the Spaniard stay.

Aside from ensuring key players are around for United’s immediate future, Solskjaer will be looking to boost his fortunes by splashing out in the upcoming summer transfer window. The Reds have been linked with the likes of Gareth Bale, Jadon Sancho, Kalidou Koulibaly, Raphael Varane and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. All of whom would plant significant seeds of excitement with the minds of the Old Trafford faithful.

However, United’s recent signings have been somewhat underwhelming (see Alexis Sanchez and Fred for more details), and Solskjaer will have to ensure his signings have the impact needed to push United back into title contention.

Whilst no one was shocked to see the announcement of Solskjaer, tying him down to a permanent contract places the onus fully on him for years to come. Now the real works starts, the pressure will mount, and we’ll see if the Norwegian truly has what it takes to bring United back to the top – where he would think they belong.

Featured Image Credit: Tor Atle Kleven [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons