Ole Gunnar Solskjær could make a shock return to Manchester United as interim manager, with Jason Wilcox, the director of football, considering him a prime candidate for the role. Negotiations between Solskjær's camp and the club are believed to be under way, and senior players including Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire would welcome his temporary appointment.
Should Solskjær be given the role, it is understood he would hope to make the position permanent if he proves successful, echoing his previous caretaker stint in December 2018 when he replaced José Mourinho and later secured the permanent job. However, the executive are primarily working on a temporary appointment, so there seems little chance he will be recruited as the permanent No 1 now.
Solskjær led United to two top-three finishes and the 2021 Europa League final, but was sacked in November 2021 after a dire run of form. He has been out of work since being sacked by Besiktas in August. Michael Carrick, the former United midfielder who had a spell in caretaker charge in 2021, is also believed to have been contacted and is thought to be open to the position.
Darren Fletcher, the stand-in head coach for at least Thursday's match against Burnley, is another candidate for the job until the end of the season. Fletcher said he had sought Sir Alex Ferguson's approval before accepting the emergency role. 'I don't like to make any major decisions without speaking to Sir Alex,' he said. 'I wanted to run it by him and he was supportive.'
Fletcher, who will be boosted by the return of captain Fernandes and Mason Mount from injury, said his focus was solely on the Burnley game. 'It's important that we give the Burnley match the respect and focus it needs,' he added. When asked about the permanent job, he said it was not something he had thought about.
