Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been confirmed as the new permanent manager of Manchester United after signing a three-year deal.
The Norwegian, 46, took over as caretaker boss when Jose Mourinho was sacked in December and he has led the club to 14 wins from his 19 matches in charge. United are also through to the Champions League quarter-finals where they will face Spanish giants Barcelona.
A playing legend at Old Trafford, Solskjaer netted the winning goal for United in their Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich in 1999. Between 1996 and 2007 he scored 126 goals in 366 games for the Red Devils and later became reserve team boss in 2010.
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Speaking to ManUtd.com Solskjaer said: “From the first day I arrived, I felt at home at this special club. It was an honour to be a Manchester United player, and then to start my coaching career here.
“The last few months have been a fantastic experience and I want to thank all of the coaches, players and staff for the work we’ve done so far.
“This is the job that I always dreamed of doing and I’m beyond excited to have the chance to lead the club long-term and hopefully deliver the continued success that our amazing fans deserve.”
Solskjaer’s assistant Mike Phelan, who was also Alex Ferguson’s No.2 at Old Trafford, is expected to stay on but his contract is still to be arranged, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Best night since the Fergie era
Solskjaer’s arrival at Old Trafford in December was welcomed by United fans and they have enjoyed the team’s return to form in the Premier League and Europe.
The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (M.U.S.T.) has praised Solskjaer for his work in turning around the club’s fortunes and picked out the Champions League comeback against Paris Saint-Germain as a highlight.
In a statement M.U.S.T said: “Along with the overwhelming majority of supporters we welcome the appointment of Ole as our permanent manager. Over a just few short months fans have witnessed a turnaround that even the most optimistic could not have predicted.
“Results on the field have been delivered through the playing style and team ethos that successive managers, since Sir Alex stepped down, were unwilling or unable to create.
“Following that night in Paris, in the eyes of many fans, he has already given us the best night since the Ferguson era and we can be confident that more will follow.
“Ole’s considerable achievements in such a short time are however still a work in progress. It is now essential that the board back him fully in providing financial resources for world-class signings to strengthen squad further and the right expertise and infrastructure to facilitate long-term player recruitment and academy development to re-establish the ‘United Way’.”
#OlesAtTheWheel: how Twitter reacted
With the cult “Ole’s at the wheel” chant now set to be heard at Old Trafford and at away grounds for the foreseeable future United supporters are celebrating the news that Solskjaer has been confirmed as the full-time boss.
Here we round up the best player, fan and media reactions from Twitter.
