Manchester United confirm Solskjaer as permanent coach

Manchester United on Thursday confirmed that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been their permanent coach on a three-year contract.

The decision ends weeks of speculation over whether the Norwegian, who replaced Jose Mourinho on a temporary basis in December, would continue at Old Trafford once the current season is over.

Solskjaer's contract is the reward for leading the club to 14 wins in his 19 matches in charge, taking Manchester United into the quarterfinals of the Champions League and lifting them to fifth in the Premier League with the chance of a top-four finish which looked virtually impossible before Mourinho's sacking.

Speaking on the Manchester United website, the former striker and United B-team coach said, "It was an honor 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."

Solskjaer who had been coaching Norwegian club, Molde, before returning to United, admitted that the chance to work at Old Trafford was "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."

Manchester United's Executive Vice chairman, Ed Woodward commented that "since coming in as caretaker manager in December, the results Ole has delivered speak for themselves."

"More than just performances and results, Ole brings a wealth of experience, both as a player and as a coach, coupled with a desire to give young players their chance and a deep understanding of the culture of the club," he added.

Solskjaer's next game in charge sees Manchester United entertain Watford, before they visit Wolves, who knocked them out of the FA Cup before the international break. They will face FC Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on April 10th.