The Express reports that Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has recently revealed that the Red Devils will appoint Ole Gunnar Solkjaer as the new permanent manager at the end of this campaign. In a recent interview with Viasport (via the Express), the Belgian striker said, “I know he’s going to stay, there’s no doubt about that,”
“He wants to stay, the players want him to stay. We’re doing really well; we’re playing like Manchester United should play.
“He’s a young coach, he has young players as well so it’s the perfect environment to develop and hopefully win trophies in the future.”
Lukaku has been direct with this recent revelation which means that there might be some truth behind his statement. Solkjaer has done remarkably well since his appointment as the new interim manager at Old Trafford. The Norwegian coach has completely transformed the club’s fortunes for the better. Back in December, Man United were nowhere close to catching their top 4 rivals in the Premier League table, but now, they are well in contention to clinch a Champions League spot at the end of this campaign.
Moreover, some might say that Solkjaer is a miracle worker as he managed to select a team mainly composed of youngsters and fringe players that went on to secure a shocking result at Paris in midweek. The Red Devils came back from a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Paris Saint-Germain to win the second leg with a 3-1 scoreline. Courtesy of away goals, they are now one of the four confirmed teams which have qualified for the quarter-finals of Europe’s biggest competition.
There is a chance for Solkjaer to work his magic and challenge for the UEFA Champions League as well as the FA Cup this term. United are set to face Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineaux Stadium in the FA Cup later this month in what could be a tricky contest for the away side. If they can earn a win versus Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, then they will be through to the semi-finals and will be in with a great chance to lift the trophy come May.
Solkjaer could be a shrewd appointment for the Mancunian giants as he knows the club inside out having represented them as a player under Sir Alex Ferguson during his glory years in Manchester. The Norwegian boss has already shown that he can get the best out of his players so far this season. Thus, if he can somehow deliver a trophy and earn a top 4 place at the end of this campaign, then it would be hard to argue against his appointment.
However, there is still a slight risk behind the decision as we have seen in the past that when clubs tend to go with their heart rather than their brains, it could come back to bite them in the future. For now, Solkjaer seems to be the only logical option for the Red Devils, but things can change quickly in football.
