Speculation is mounting that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be in line for a sensational return to Manchester United, more than four years after his first spell as manager ended. This potential reunion has shifted focus onto the players who knew him from his previous tenure, with one defender, Diogo Dalot, having already delivered a powerful response to the Norwegian's once-private reservations.
Solskjaer's Damning Verdict and Dalot's Rocky Start
Diogo Dalot arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2018, signed by Jose Mourinho in what proved to be the Portuguese manager's final transfer window at the club. When Solskjaer took over, initially on a temporary basis after Mourinho's sacking in December 2018, Dalot's opportunities became limited.
After securing the job permanently, Solskjaer received significant transfer backing. One of his earliest and most telling decisions was to spend £50 million on right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace in 2019. This move hardly demonstrated faith in the young Portuguese defender. Dalot managed just four Premier League appearances in the 2019/20 season, hampered by injury and falling out of favour.
Sources at the time revealed Solskjaer's blunt private assessment, overheard and later made public, that he feared Dalot "couldn't defend." This lack of trust was starkly illustrated in July 2020, when Solskjaer opted to give Timothy Fosu-Mensah his first United start in three years over Dalot for a match against Crystal Palace.
Loan Spell and Redemption Under Successive Managers
Seeking playing time, Dalot spent the entire 2020/21 campaign on loan at AC Milan. He even faced his parent club in the Europa League last 16, famously celebrating Simon Kjaer's late equaliser for the Italian side. Despite this, he never abandoned hope of reviving his Manchester United career.
His fortunes began to change following Solskjaer's dismissal in November 2021. Under interim manager Ralf Rangnick, Dalot earned more consistent starting opportunities. By the end of that season, United were open to offers for Wan-Bissaka but considered Dalot a valuable part of the squad.
"I feel like I'm a Man United player," Dalot asserted during the club's pre-season tour of Australia in the summer of 2022. "But obviously work every single day to play. I wanna be ready for the manager, for the club, and every time he needs me I'm gonna be there."
Establishment as a Key Figure and the Potential Reunion
Erik ten Hag's arrival further solidified Dalot's place. The Dutch manager maintained confidence in him, and after Wan-Bissaka was sold to West Ham in 2024, Dalot's status grew. He also impressed subsequent manager Ruben Amorim, making his 150th Premier League appearance for United earlier this season.
While sporadic questions about his defensive solidity have persisted, they have not seriously threatened his position. Amorim valued his blend of defensive work and attacking threat, even deploying him on both flanks in a wing-back system.
Dalot's next challenge could be the most symbolic. If Solskjaer does make an emotional return to Old Trafford, he will find a player transformed. From making just 10 Premier League starts under the Norwegian across nearly three years to becoming a mainstay for multiple managers, Diogo Dalot has emphatically proven his worth and silenced the doubts that once surrounded him.
