Solskjaer named caretaker manager of Manchester United

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Manchester United on Wednesday named former striker Ole Gunnar Solskaer as caretaker manager of the football club until the end of the current season.

"Solskaer will take charge of the first team with immediate effect and will remain in place while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new full-time manager," the English club announced in a statement.

"Manchester United is in my heart and it is brilliant to be coming back in this role. I am really looking forward to working with the very talented squad we have, the staff and everyone at the club," said Solskaer, a former Norweign footballer.

Solskaer scored 126 goals in 366 appearances for Manchester United between 1996 and 2007.

In 2008, he became the club’s reserve-team manager, before taking the managerial role at FC Molde in Norway.

Manager Jose Morinho left Manchester United with “immediate effect,” following the poor performance of the football team this season, the club had said Tuesday.

Morinho’s contract, which started in 2016, came to an end following a 3-1 defeat against Liverpool, after two-and-a-half year.

The club won the Europa League and League Cup in 2016-17 season and finished second in the Premier League.

It spent around £364 million ($460 million) on new players during Morinho’s management.

The club holds the sixth place with 7 wins, 7 draws and 5 losses after 17 games this season, collecting 26 points.

Morinho previously managed another Premier League hotshots Chelsea after he left Spanish club Real Madrid in 2015.

Benfica, Porto and Inter Milan are some other big clubs Morinho managed previously.