Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has been without a managerial position since parting ways with Manchester United in November 2021, is now in talks with Besiktas to potentially take over as their new manager following the departure of Riza Calimbay. The Turkish club has reportedly initiated negotiations with Solskjaer, signaling a potential return to management for the Norwegian.
Besiktas currently finds themselves in a challenging situation, sitting fifth in the Super Lig table and enduring a winless streak in domestic competitions this month.
Their recent struggles include losses to Alanyaspor and Fenerbahce, along with a 5-0 defeat at home by Club Brugge in the Europa Conference League. Despite these setbacks, they managed to secure a 2-0 victory against Lugano on the final matchday to finish third in their group.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer began his managerial career by overseeing Manchester United’s Under-21 side in 2008 before venturing to coach Molde in Norway three years later. His return to the UK involved a brief and challenging stint at Cardiff City in 2014, prompting his subsequent return to Molde in 2015.
United sought Solskjaer’s services in December 2018 after parting ways with Jose Mourinho. Initially appointed as a caretaker manager on a short-term basis, he managed to reverse the team’s fortunes and was officially appointed as the permanent manager in March 2019.
While praised for his man-management skills and success in big games, Solskjaer faced criticism for his inability to secure trophies during his tenure.
Despite a high-profile summer in 2021 that saw the acquisitions of Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane, and Jadon Sancho, Manchester United failed to meet expectations, leading to Solskjaer’s departure early in the season.
Ralf Rangnick assumed the role of interim boss for the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign, and Erik ten Hag was later unveiled as the club’s permanent manager in April 2022.
Now, with negotiations reportedly underway with Besiktas, Solskjaer could find himself back in the managerial hot seat, potentially bringing his experience and coaching acumen to the Super Lig as he seeks a fresh start in the world of football management.
The outcome of these talks will undoubtedly be closely monitored as Solskjaer contemplates a new chapter in his managerial career.
