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A new report claims that Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a candidate to return to the club “in some capacity” if Sheikh Jassim’s bid for the club is successful.
The Mirror reports that Sheikh Jassim is eager to call upon the services of several club legends if his bid is successful and Ole is a prime contender.
The Norwegian also said earlier that he is waiting for the right opportunity to get back into management amid interest from many clubs.
However, with Erik ten Hag’s job secure after a good first season, it remains to be seen what, if any, role is offered to Solskjaer in case Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid is beaten in the takeover process.
Ole, for his part, also left the door open by saying in an earlier interview that “maybe they will want me back at [United] in some capacity, who knows?”.
Sheikh Jassim, who looked like he was trailing Sir Jim Ratcliffe in the takeover process, recently made another bid for the club which brought him back into the running.
Recent reports even suggested that he is negotiating a period of exclusivity with the Glazers, a sign that the process is finally advancing after months of indecision.
The move to bring club legends into the fold is an astute one. There are issues associated with Sheikh Jassim’s bid, with unclear links to the Qatar state somewhat concerning.
The prospect of club legends lending credibility to the bid, combined with their promise of investment in the club should lend them public support.
Furthermore, Solskjaer has been lauded for his talent identification skills during his time as Manchester United manager and even before that.
He suggested a 17-year-old Erling Haaland to the bosses at Old Trafford but they were unable to persuade him to join. The likes of Ruben Dias, Jude Bellingham and more were tracked on his watch but again, the club’s negotiators were unsuccessful.
It could be ideal if the Norwegian were to return to the club in a role along similar lines. However, with the takeover process still in limbo, the likelihood of this coming to pass seems remote as things stand.
One thing is certain though. The winds of change are blowing at Old Trafford, whichever side the bidding process falls, and this change could be just one in a sea of them coming soon at the club.