Former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has rejected the chance to return to Norwegian side Molde for a third spell in charge.
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Solskjaer out of work since 2021Was wanted back at MoldeNot interested in taking the jobFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Solskjaer has been out of work since being sacked by Manchester United in November 2021. He has now rejected the chance to return to management with Molde. The president of the Norwegian side, Leif-Arne Langøy, contacted the former Red Devil after sacking Erling Moe but received no response at all, according to VG. Molde parted company with Moe after defeat to Fredrikstad in the cup final meant the club will not play European football next season.
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Solskjaer has been linked with several club and international jobs this year but is yet to take up a new appointment. He has reportedly been in talks with Sweden and Canada and is thought to have narrowly missed out on the Leicester job, when Enzo Maresca departed for Chelsea. Solskjaer's former United team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooy has since taken on the job after Steve Cooper was sacked after only five months at the King Power.
WHAT SOLSKJAER HAS SAID
Solskjaer has spoken about his future and revealed he would be keen on taking the Norway job. He told Norwegian radio NRK podcast Bakrommet: "I am a proud Norwegian. If the question comes up, when Stale finds out that he doesn't want it anymore, I'm happy to enter into a conversation. I would say 'yes' any day of the week. It feels wrong to sit and talk about jobs that other people have. But of course, I would say yes. No, I'm not [waiting for the job]. Firstly, nothing is better than Norway qualifying for a [major] tournament. If we manage to do it now and qualify for the World Cup in 2026, it's time. That's what we all hope for. And we hope we do it as soon as possible, while Stale is there."
The 51-year-old also opened on up what else could tempt him back into management: "It must be something exciting enough, together with the right people. But I feel so well now that there must be something that triggers me enough for me to choose to travel from Nordmore [in Norway]. I think that a national team could suit me, but then it can't be on the other side of the globe. I had two options, but it would have taken half a day to travel, and there is a time difference in the picture, so I opted out. Even if I could then take part in the championship."
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR SOLSKJAER?
Solskjaer is clearly in no rush to return to management but may well be an option for Norway when current boss Stale Solbakken steps down after the 2026 World Cup campaign. In the meantime the United legend is likely to be keeping a close eye on former side Manchester United to see how the Red Devils fare under new boss Ruben Amorim.
