Manchester United are set to hold talks with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over the interim manager role following Ruben Amorim’s sacking, with his potential return coming in the Manchester derby.
Luke Thrower Trends Writer
10:13, 10 Jan 2026Updated 11:32, 11 Jan 2026
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set for further talks with Manchester United about becoming the club’s new manager.(Image: (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images))
Manchester United are preparing for another round of discussions with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer regarding the caretaker manager position, with CEO Omar Berrada and Director of Football Jason Wilcox set to meet with the former player and manager.
The club is considering bringing the Norwegian coach back to Old Trafford until the end of the season, following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, as the board seeks to buy more time to secure the right permanent appointment in the summer.
Solskjaer, with his wealth of experience and knowledge, isn’t the only candidate Man United are negotiating with. Michael Carrick, who served as an assistant under Solskjaer during his previous interim and permanent tenure, is also being considered.
Regardless of who is selected by the Man United executives, one thing is certain: the new arrival in the Old Trafford dugout will receive an immediate boost. This is due to the anticipated return of Bryan Mbeumo in the next week or so.
The forward, who was acquired from Brentford in the summer for a fee potentially reaching £71m, has shone in the first half of the season, justifying the substantial investment made to secure him.
There were some concerns for the club when the 26-year-old was among three key players to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations, given his impressive performances.
Mbeumo has been representing the Cameroon national team in a tournament that was shrouded in controversy due to uncertainty over who was in charge and which squad list would be used.
Despite these issues, his team managed to reach the quarter-finals before being defeated by the host nation, Morocco.
He is now expected to return to Manchester United, potentially making a timely comeback for the club in the upcoming Manchester derby.
United are set to face City on Saturday, 17 January, in what could be the first match for the new caretaker manager, if they are appointed in time for such a significant fixture.
While Mbeumo’s return will undoubtedly boost the club, it remains uncertain whether other key players will be available for the match.
Morocco’s victory means Noussair Mazraoui is likely to play at least one more game in the tournament, casting doubt over his availability.
Amad and the Ivory Coast team will be playing against Egypt in an eagerly anticipated quarter-final match of AFCON on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old has scored three goals and provided one assist for his country in the tournament so far, after just four appearances, and he could be crucial to their success.
However, all three players will definitely miss Manchester United’s FA Cup match against Brighton this weekend. Interim coach Darren Fletcher will be overseeing his second match, having led the team to a 2-2 draw with Burnley earlier in the week.
Following the return of several crucial players from injury, including Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo, United would have been disappointed not to secure all three points given their performance at Turf Moor. A comparable attacking display would probably help them claim victory on Sunday when they welcome the Seagulls to Old Trafford.
“It’s an important competition and Manchester United are about winning trophies,” Fletcher told journalists ahead of the fixture. “We’ve had good success in recent years, we won it a couple of years ago and lost in the final.
“It’s an amazing competition, the first trophy I won as a player, it is a special tournament. Not in Europe, out of the League Cup, there is the Premier League obviously but the FA Cup, it’s a trophy we should be vying to win and be giving ourselves every opportunity to win.”