Pranav Nair
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer set to extend Manchester United stay
According to the Mirror, Manchester United are set to offer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a lucrative new contract as he enters his final year at Old Trafford.
The Norwegian is set to pocket an impressive £9m-a-year in wages. It represents a £1.2m rise in his current wage and would make Solskajer the fifth best-paid manager in the league.
The 48-year-old took over from Jose Mourinho originally as interim manager in 2018. A promising half-season in charge saw the club offer him a permanent three-year deal in March 2019.
Ed Woodward is pleased with the progress United have made under Solskjaer and made it known to shareholders earlier this month.
He believes the Norwegian has rekindled the United DNA that was absent under his predecessors Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho. As someone who has served under Sir Alex Ferguson during the club’s dominant era, Solskjaer is best placed as any to channel the same spirit.
Talks with the manager are set to start any day now as they look to tie him down for the immediate future.
Jury still out!
While Solskjaer may have brought back the United DNA, the likes of Van Gaal and Mourinho brought in trophies. The Norwegian has steadied the ship but has been unable to add silverware despite significant investment.
The club has fallen away in the Premier League title race despite briefly topping the table in January and are in danger of also being knocked out of the Europa League.
The Red Devils would have done well to wait until the summer to assess Solskajer’s position. However, it would appear that a decision has already been made and for better or for worse, we have decided to stand by the club legend.
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While there is no arguing Solskjaer’s contributions as a player, the jury is still out on his ability as a top-class manager. His teams often choke when they are expected to step up and have failed to put in a consistent run of results when it matters.
While the Norwegian may be decent at his job, he still has much to prove to showcase he is the elite manager United need to take them back to the top. For now, it would appear, we have tied our fortunes to that of the 48-year-old.
