Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returns to management, taking over as Besiktas head coach, aiming to guide the Turkish Super Lig club to success.
Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed head coach of Besiktas, signing a deal until the end of next season with an option for an additional year.
This marks his return to management since being dismissed by United in 2021.
Solskjaer described the project at Besiktas as reminiscent of his tenure at Manchester United, where he guided the team from sixth to third and second in the Premier League standings.
“This project seems a little bit like Manchester United for me. Step by step, we can achieve success here too,” he said.
The 51-year-old revealed he had turned down other offers before accepting Besiktas’ proposal. “You need to feel that heartbeat racing again.
The project the President and the board presented was exactly what I needed now,” he explained.
Besiktas, currently sixth in the Turkish Super Lig, have struggled to maintain consistency this season.
They are also 28th in the Europa League standings, a point shy of the playoff places, with two league phase games remaining.
Solskjaer highlighted the potential of Besiktas’ young talents, such as Semih Kilicsoy (19) and Mustafa Hekimoglu (17), comparing their potential to Erling Haaland while emphasizing a realistic approach to development.
“It’s a little unfair to compare them with Haaland, but we’ll help them reach their full potential,” he noted.
Solskjaer’s Besiktas will face Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in May, creating a narrative twist as Solskjaer replaced Mourinho at Manchester United in 2018.
Looking ahead, Solskjaer expressed optimism about the team’s future, saying, “Hopefully, we can turn the boat quickly here and achieve success step by step.”
With a rich history that includes 16 league titles, Besiktas and Solskjaer aim to revive the club’s domestic and European fortunes, as fans eagerly await the impact of their new manager.