Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Manchester United 2018-19

Molde still planning for Solskjaer return despite Man United success

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may be hoping to stick around at Manchester United after May, but Molde have insisted that they expect him to return to the club this summer regardless of how well his time at Old Trafford goes.   

The 45-year-old returned to Manchester as interim boss in late December and has done incredibly well since replacing Jose Mourinho.  

United have won five on the trot under Solskjaer, prompting the likes of former Manchester United defender David May to back him as a candidate for the full-time gig once his caretaker duties are done.  

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But Solskjaer has a job waiting on him with Molde, the club having allowed him to take on the Untied job and miss out on the start of their own season. 

And the Norwegian outfit say they fully expect him back this summer.  

"The deal is until May 12. That is our Plan A and our Plan B,” Molde managing director Oystein Neerland was reported as saying by the Daily Mail.  

"We have no Plan C. We have only spoken with United about this period, January to May. Nothing else. I'm staying with this plan."  

Molde’s season doesn’t kick off until March, though their pre-season will begin next week.  

United have been widely linked with Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, with Solskjaer even admitting that links to the Spurs boss were “there for a reason”, but the impressive form of the club under their former star has sparked plenty of speculation about him staying on as boss. 

Molde insist no contact has been made between the clubs over an extension to Solskjaer’s deal in the Premier League, with the Norway outfit counting on him coming back.  

“We have only spoken with United about this period January to May,” Neerland said. “Nothing else. I’m staying with this plan.” 

Despite that, the Molde director couldn’t help but leave a bit of wiggle-room with how well things have gone at United under Solskjaer.  

“I think Ole will be back in May. I think,” he reportedly said with a little grin.  

Manchester United will be back on the pitch Sunday in the biggest test of their interim boss’ time in charge, with the club heading to London to take on Tottenham.

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