Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is close to becoming next Besiktas manager. This comes nearly three years after his Manchester United sacking. The Norwegian has been out of job since he was shown the door at Old Trafford back in November 2021. But a route back in could be found in Turkey. Solskjaer has held talks with Super Lig outfit. They are confident an agreement can be reached.
Solskjaer to Face Mourinho in Turkish Super Lig Showdown
Besiktas are on lookout for a new coach. This follows the departure of former Portugal boss Fernando Santos back in April. Solskjaer was first contacted by Besiktas in January. This was before they appointed Santos according to reports from ESPN. The Turkish outfit endured disappointing season where they finished sixth in Super Lig. They were a staggering 46 points behind champions Galatasaray. Their last league success was back in 2021 and they want to get back competing with their Istanbul rivals.
Solskjaer has turned down numerous jobs since leaving Manchester – both in club and international football. A move to Turkey could see Norwegian come up against new Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho. He succeeded him at Red Devils. The 51-year-old had win percentage of 54 by the time he left Old Trafford. The final months of his tenure led to downturn in results. This included a 5-0 humiliation at the hands of Liverpool in front of their home fans.
Solskjaer arrived at Manchester in 2018 in interim capacity before an impressive opening few months. This saw him land job on permanent basis. In his first two full seasons he led United to third then second, their best showing since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson. He also led club to Europa League final in 2021 losing on penalties to Villarreal. Solskjaer guided United to numerous semi-finals but they consistently failed to get over the line.
Despite spending huge sums on the likes of Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho during his tenure. Prior to his time in Manchester, Solskjaer enjoyed success with Molde in his homeland, leading them to successive domestic titles. He was appointed at Cardiff City but oversaw their relegation to Championship before later being sacked in the Welsh capital.
