Man Utd takeover: Solskjaer teases return under new owner as report explains why bidder is being ‘ghosted’

Joe Williams
Former Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer shrugs

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed his hopes of returning to Man Utd in the future and speculated that “maybe” the new owners “will want me back”.

The Red Devils sacked Solskjaer in November 2021 after five Premier League defeats in seven matches towards the beginning of the 2021-22 season.

Man Utd are currently in the process of being taken over and one bidder, Sheikh Jassim, vowed to bring back some Man Utd legends into the fold if he wins the race to take control of the club.

Solskjaer has been out of work since leaving Man Utd but he is open to the “right chance” and even hinted at a return to Old Trafford in some capacity.

The former Man Utd boss said: “I’ve got another job in me, if it’s the right chance and exciting enough. There are so many clubs, but I’m not going to work just for the sake of working. It has to be something special, a new culture, or a club that really excites me.

“Or maybe they will want me back at the club (United) in some capacity, who knows?”

A report earlier this week in The Sun claimed that the Glazers had chosen INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe as their ‘preferred bidder’ although nothing has been officially confirmed.

The Glazers set April 28 as the third, and what is expected to be final, deadline to make bids for Man Utd with both Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim making fresh offers.

A report in The Independent claims that Ratcliffe has had ‘more extensive contact with Raine Group over the past two weeks than Qatar, creating a positivity within the INEOS bid that they can be the next owners of Manchester United, although it has not yet been communicated who the preferred bidder is’.

Sheikh Jassim’s bid was apparently ‘considerably lower than had been anticipated’ and the Glazers have been ‘giving consideration to the fact any Qatar offer could take six to nine months longer, due to the likelihood that the assessment by the Owners and Directors test would be far longer’.

In contrast, INEOS and Ratcliffe ‘are hopeful of having a deal in place by the summer transfer window’ with Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag desperate to know the situation before the summer market opens.

Sources close to the Qatar-led bid insist they are ‘still in the race’ but ‘discussions with Raine have been minimal, with one source even stating that it was as close as you can get to being “ghosted” in such processes’.

READ MORE: Transfer gossip: Man Utd given 15-day window to secure transfer; Chelsea prepare record offer