Jose Mourinho's departure from Manchester United sent everyone into a frenzy, with many predicting who will succeed him at Old Trafford. While the appointment of a permanent boss is yet to occur, the club has gone out and named a caretaker manager to guide the team until the end of the season.
The Red Devils announced the name of that man on Wednesday morning, exactly 24 hours after revealing the Special One's exit. The tactician who will take over the helm will be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The 20-time Premier League champion made this announcement via a statement on their official website. It read:
"Manchester United announced today that former striker Ole Gunnar Solskjær has been appointed as caretaker manager until the end of the 2018/19 season."
The Norwegian enjoyed an unforgettable spell at the Theatre of Dreams as a player in between 1996 and 2007. He registered 126 goals in 366 appearances for the English giant, winning one Champions League title, two FA Cups, and six Premier League crowns along the way.
While the 45-year-old is yet to make a big name for himself in management, he has racked up experience with the Man United reserve-team, Cardiff City, and Molde. However, this will be his biggest test since hanging up his boots.
"Manchester United is in my heart and it's brilliant to be coming back in this role. I'm really looking forward to working with the very talented squad we have, the staff and everyone at the club," Solskjær said.
Michael Carrick had initially been tipped to be promoted to the main job. However, the former midfielder will only work alongside Kieran McKenna and first-team coach Mike Phelan in assisting the newly-appointed interim boss.
While Solskjær's reign begins with immediate effect, the board remains on the lookout for a new full-time boss. The Norwegian could make a case for himself should he turn the club's fortunes around between now and next summer, but other names sit ahead of him in the race for the Old Trafford job.
Zinedine Zidane is a free agent and has been tipped to replace Mourinho numerous times before. However, the Frenchman, currently on sabbatical since leaving Real Madrid, has distanced himself from the job. Pochettino has also been linked, but stealing him away from Tottenham and their promising squad will prove difficult. Laurent Blanc, Antonio Conte, Leonardo Jardim, and Eddie Howe are also rumored candidates.
