Manchester United’s Firefighter, Is Solskjær the “Widely Expected” Choice?

By Hanbing After Amorelin’s sacking, with Manchester United facing turmoil both on and off the pitch, who is the most suitable “firefighting coach”? With Solskjær repeatedly expressing his loyalty, the answer appears obvious. Although United’s management is contacting other coaches, who would turn down a legend ready to take responsibility in the Red Devils’ emergency without caring about pay or contract duration? On January 7, the well-informed Norwegian outlet Verdens Gang signaled clearly: Manchester United has held comprehensive talks with Solskjær’s agent, Solbakken. Given the “baby-faced” coach’s unconditional willingness to return, whether they reunite depends on the club’s top executives.

Manchester United aims to appoint a “firefighting coach” to lead the team until the season’s end, then seek a new permanent manager in the summer. Considering the current unrest and internal issues, locking the “firefighting coach” role to club legends is undoubtedly the best solution. Former interim managers Solskjær, Carrick, and Van Nistelrooy are all on the shortlist, but Solskjær naturally emerges as the frontrunner due to his irresistible terms regarding salary and contract length.

Leading UK bookmakers place Solskjær at the top by a wide margin. He meets almost all of Manchester United’s requirements: deep understanding of the club’s culture, prior experience managing the Red Devils, ability to command respect in the locker room, and unconditional acceptance of United’s salary, contract terms, and management structure.

On January 6, Solskjær returned to his Cheshire mansion in the UK. On the 7th, he had his first-round interview with Manchester United representatives, but on the 8th, he needed to return to Molde, Norway, to attend the funeral of renowned Norwegian coach Hareide. This means signing with United before January 9 is unlikely.

In December 2018, Solskjær replaced Mourinho as the emergency coach, achieving an 8-match winning streak across competitions and earning the Premier League Manager of the Month for January 2019. In the 2020/21 season, he led Manchester United to runner-up finishes in both the Premier League and Europa League, the best results since Ferguson except for Mourinho. In January 2025, after more than four years away, he returned as Besiktas head coach, becoming a derby rival to Mourinho. However, both were dismissed by August, and the “baby-faced” coach has since been unemployed. Though linked to some Premier League and other clubs, no deals materialized.

Manchester United is also evaluating Carrick, another club legend who has served as an emergency coach. Carrick’s coaching at Middlesbrough was impressive as well. In November 2021, Carrick took over from Solskjær as interim manager, going undefeated in three matches, beating Villarreal and Arsenal, and drawing with Chelsea, earning widespread praise. However, United chose to hire Rangnick, so Carrick was not promoted to permanent manager.

In October 2022, Carrick took over struggling Middlesbrough in the Championship, where the team had only 17 points from 16 matches, ranking 21st—just one point above relegation. Carrick led the team to 16 wins in 23 matches, winning the Championship Manager of the Month award in December 2022. Middlesbrough finished 4th but lost the promotion playoffs to Coventry. In his second season, Carrick brought Middlesbrough to the League Cup semifinals for the first time in 20 years. After being dismissed last summer, he has remained unemployed.

The Guardian reports that Manchester United’s locker room welcomes Solskjær’s return, with Bruno Fernandes and Maguire particularly enthusiastic. Six years ago, it was Solskjær who signed Bruno Fernandes, who has repeatedly expressed respect for his mentor. Besides Bruno, players like Luke Shaw, trusted during Solskjær’s 2018–2021 tenure, and Rashford, previously sidelined by Amorelin and loaned to Barcelona, could benefit from their former coach’s comeback.

However, some British media suggest that United’s management might choose not to decide exclusively: Solskjær and Carrick could return together, and current interim coach Fletcher might work alongside the two legends. Their specific roles and responsibilities will depend on United’s “interview” results with the legends. Carrick seems more likely to take on the technical director role, assisting Solskjær alongside Fletcher, which would be the safest option for a Manchester United urgently needing stability from club legends.