It is understood former midfielder and ex-Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick, the other frontrunner for the role, has already met United chiefs.

United want an appointment before next weekend’s Manchester derby.

Club sources have said they regard both men as number one managers in their own right rather than as part of a team, even though the pair worked together following Jose Mourinho’s departure in 2018.

Norwegian Solskjaer was appointed in similar circumstances when Mourinho left the club and was given the role permanently in March 2019 after a successful run of results.

The former striker led the club to the Europa League final but was sacked in November 2021 after a poor run of form. He most recently managed Besiktas in Turkey but was sacked in August after losing in the play-offs for both the Europa and Conference League.

In the meantime, Darren Fletcher will continue in interim charge.

Fletcher’s focus solely on FA Cup tie

Speaking earlier on Friday, Fletcher said he has had no talks about his future and his focus has solely been on the FA Cup third round tie with Brighton.

Fletcher was put in temporary charge for two games following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim.

It has not been established whether Fletcher will remain as part of the first-team set-up or if he will return to his previous job as United’s under-18s coach.

The former United and Scotland midfielder confirmed he had not spoken to minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe since Amorim’s exit, and there have been no discussions either with chief executive Omar Berrada or director of football Jason Wilcox about what happens after the Brighton game.

“There have been no thoughts or conversations over my future,” he said.

“I speak to Omar and Jason, that’s how the process works.

“They have given me full responsibility to take control of these two games, to make my own decisions, to lead the team, guide the team and prepare the team. That’s what I’ve been doing.

“I’ve been focusing on the job at hand and preparing the team for these two games.”

Senior figures at Old Trafford are known to be impressed at the way Fletcher has gone about his work this week and how he has handled the external pressures of the role.

Fletcher defends Man Utd academy

For the first time, Fletcher addressed Amorim’s criticisms of United’s academy.

Aside from the fact he did not start any academy-produced player in a Premier League game this season, Amorim did not show any sign he had faith in the players it had produced.

In addition, he angered United officials by singling out Harry Amass – whose loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday has now come to an end – and striker Chido Obi for criticism.

Amorim also said he detected a sense of entitlement among United’s young players.

As someone who was himself developed by the club, has previously held the position of technical director and up to this week has been responsible for their under-18s players, Fletcher brought Kobbie Mainoo and Shea Lacey on at Turf Moor.

On only his second senior appearance, 18-year-old Lacey nearly won the game with a curling effort from 20 yards that came back off the crossbar.

“Historically, this club is built around the academy,” said Fletcher. “Our record speaks for itself.

“We’ve got some amazing talent and what I see is a lot of hardworking, humble young players, honest and coachable, who aren’t perfect because they’re young and they’re learning.

“We ask too much of young people in society at times. We have to let them learn – educate them, help them and understand they will make mistakes.

“With good guidance, all of us play a part in developing them to be Manchester United players. Hopefully they can showcase themselves like Shea did.”

Talks are at a very early, sounding out stage and while it is not yet known who the leading contender is to temporarily replace Ruben Amorim for the rest of the campaign, BBC Sport has been told Carrick is a serious candidate.

Amorim was sacked on Monday after a turbulent 14 months in charge, with former United midfielder Fletcher appointed interim manager.

The Scot will remain in place until a caretaker is appointed, with the club planning to name a permanent successor for Amorim in the summer.

Director of football Jason Wilcox has spoken to Fletcher and his former United team-mates Solskjaer and Carrick about taking the role, while another former United player Ruud van Nistelrooy is also believed to be a contender.

Van Nistelrooy managed three victories and a draw in his four games as caretaker boss in 2024.

Solskjaer initially took charge in a similar fashion when United sacked Jose Mourinho in 2018, and he subsequently became the full-time manager for three years before leaving in 2021.

Carrick has been out of work since departing Middlesbrough last June.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and former Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi – now at Marseille – are understood to be early contenders for the full-time job.

Glasner, who won the FA Cup with the Eagles last season, was asked about the link during his news conference on Tuesday.

He said: “I am Crystal Palace manager and it makes no sense for you to ask me any more questions about it.”

‘It’s an amazing honour’

Fletcher spoke to the media on Tuesday before Wednesday night’s game at Burnley and said he is concentrating purely on that match for now.

“It’s surreal, it’s an amazing honour to be able to lead a Manchester United team,” he said.

“I didn’t think in my wildest dreams that was something that could happen. It’s all happened so quickly, all my concentration and efforts are going on Burnley.

“Everyone expects Manchester United to be on top and winning – that’s what we have to achieve and I will do my best in whatever role to make that happen.”

Gemi kaptani – captain of the ship – was the best he could come up with.

It might be a while before it catches on with the Besiktas faithful, or that Solskjaer could understand them even if it did.

But the 2,100 supporters shoehorned into the corner of the Ulker Stadium were making plenty of noise as Solskjaer went with his players to thank them for their backing.

His side’s 1-0 victory means that in his 15 games as Besiktas manager, the Norwegian has beaten both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.

In the process of this triumph, he was also, almost certainly, ending any remaining hope Jose Mourinho might have of closing his debut season in Turkey as a league champion.

With four games left, Fenerbahce now trail Galatasaray by eight points.

Not that Mourinho let his disappointment show as he cupped his hands round Solskjaer’s head after the final whistle.

Twice the two men, who between them spent over five years from 2016 to 2021 trying to sort out Manchester United, were virtually cheek to cheek as they reflected on their situation.

“Ole is here for a few months,” said Mourinho afterwards. “He is experienced and intelligent enough to learn what he has to learn.

“I am nobody to give him advice. We spoke in the tunnel before the game. It was normal things two guys who respect each other but have to play a match say to each other. After it was the same.

“We are experienced enough for him not to be on the moon because he won, just as I am not in hell because I lost a derby. We respect each other well. I think we like each other too. I would say that.”

Image source: Getty Images

The respective ways in which they dealt with their situations in post-match media conferences, which take much longer than they are used to due to the need for translations out of English, was instructive in itself.

One of the last things Mourinho had done before the game began was to exchange a hug with Gedson Fernandes.

The 62-year-old was Spurs manager for the entirety of Fernandes’ 12-month loan spell at the club from Benfica.

Fernandes played 14 times but never scored. Mourinho probably did not expect the Portugal international to be the main offensive threat to his side.

But, in a fundamental tactical reshuffle few credit the Norwegian with the capacity to impose, veteran forward Ciro Immobile was left on the bench meaning Fernandes was the support for makeshift striker Rafael Silva.

So, when Mert Muldur played his fatal inside pass to no-one across the edge of his own box, it was Fernandes who stroked it home.

That made amends for his penalty miss eight minutes earlier.

In between came the kind of chaos for which Mourinho is so celebrated but, on this occasion, he remained as a – sort of – detached observer.

The stadium was simmering anyway when the home side broke from Irfan Can’s penalty save. As Morocco striker Youssef En-Nesyri bore down on the visitor’s goal, Besiktas keeper Mert Gunok came sliding out. Gunok just got to the ball first but sent En-Nesyri flying with the additional contact.

Cue pandemonium.

As play continued downfield, the Fenerbahce bench harangued the fourth official and the nearside assistant referee in front of them. On the pitch, former Leicester defender Caglar Soyuncu voiced his displeasure directly in front of the referee and was booked. Another yellow card was waved at the home bench as Mourinho watched on.

Around the media area, there were pockets of unrest. Half a dozen wearing corporate lanyards were escorted out.

Fernandes’ goal triggered widespread chanting, demanding the removal not only of the club’s president but also his number two, Hull City owner Acun Ilicali.

Fenerbache dominated the second half but failed to make their possession count. They have now played their two great city rivals on a total of five occasions this season, have lost four and earned a single point.

They are now eight points behind Galatasaray with four games left and Mourinho knows the title is heading elsewhere.

“I don’t speak about them,” he said, when asked to offer his thoughts on Gala’s impending success.

“I speak about the Championship. I did it during the season and I don’t change a single word.

“One of the problems Fenerbahce has is the difficulty to cope mentally with the power of the system. It is stronger than the quality, than the wheel. It is something really powerful. The players feel it and know it is completely impossible to reach what they want to reach.”

Image source: Getty Images

Earlier this month Mourinho claimed Turkish football was dominated by Galatasaray and it “didn’t smell like a nice perfume”.

In contrast, Solskjaer dismissed the victory, pointing out that in the games immediately after a similarly notable triumph against Galatasaray last month his team had been “hopeless”.

They are now in a strong position to finish third and secure a place in next season’s Europa League.

The Norwegian is taking nothing for granted.

“The next four games will decide a lot,” he said. “Can they play the next four games like this one?

“After Gala we were hopeless. We must have a different reaction after this.”

Fenerbahce will be in the Champions League next season. Whether Mourinho will still be with them is another matter.

Evidently, he is unhappy at how Turkish football is run. And with the Fenerbahce fans unhappy at how the people who employed him are running their club, a parting of ways cannot be ruled out this summer.

“I am not speaking about next season,” he said. “I will speak internally, not to the media.

“If there is something, out of respect to the president and the board, I will not bring it into the public.”

Solskjaer, 51, has been out of management since being fired by United in November 2021 after almost three years in charge having initially been hired as interim manager in December 2018 following the dismissal of José Mourinho.

Although Solskjaer guided United to a second-place finish behind Manchester City in the COVID-19-impacted 2020-21 season, the former Molde coach was unable to win silverware as manager and his exit came following a run of six defeats in 11 games in late-2021, including a 5-0 home defeat against Liverpool.

But with permanent successor Erik ten Hag now under increasing pressure at United after just three wins in eight games this season, Solskjaer has said that he would not rule out a second stint as manager at Old Trafford if the club make the call.

“If the family [United] asks, I would say yes every day of the week,” Solskjaer said in a Q&A at the Oslo Business Forum. “It feels wrong to talk about jobs that other people have now, but I would say yes, of course.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked by Man United following a 4-1 defeat to Watford in 2021. John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images

Ten Hag, meanwhile, urged patience from United’s supporters in his Thursday news conference ahead of their clash with Tottenham on Sunday.

“Still we are working and progressing, we made a choice to sign very young players,” he said. “We believe in them this moment and also for the future.

“We have to build them. That takes time. I am impatient, I want to go straight forward but also we had success in two seasons.”

Solskjaer has worked as a technical observer for UEFA since leaving United three years ago and the former Norway international helped compile the Euro 2024 technical report after covering the tournament in Germany this summer.

He has been linked with a return to management with clubs in Turkey and the Middle East, but with Norway coach Stale Solbakken expected to step down at the end of the country’s 2026 World Cup campaign, Solskjaer said that he would be keen to take the national team job when it becomes available.

“I am a proud Norwegian, and of course if the question arises, when Ståle decides to give up, I will happily engage in discussions,” Solskjaer said. “I am a proud Norwegian and proud of where I come from.”

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has bought a 27.7% stake in United, who lost 3-1 at Manchester City on Sunday.

It was their 11th defeat in the Premier League this season and left Erik ten Hag’s side sixth in the table.

“With Erik, I hope he is going to be successful. I hope he is going to make it but you never know what the new owners are thinking,” said Solskjaer.

“It’s about results and consistency the rest of the season.”

Ratcliffe will oversee the club’s footballing operations, but the Glazer family remain as majority owners.

The British billionaire called for patience from fans and told the BBC: “People unfortunately need to give us time to get back. It will be two to three seasons.”

Speaking to the Stick to Football podcast, 51-year-old Solskjaer, who managed United from 2018-21, added: “I don’t think there is a magic wand, as in let’s change the owners.

“Obviously they have their certain way of working, the Glazers have still got the commercial [operation] – who knows how it is going to be in football, that side of it.”

United are 19 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and 11 behind Aston Villa in fourth.

The FA Cup appears to be their only chance of a trophy this season – they face Liverpool in the quarter-finals on Sunday, 17 March.

This has been a miserable second season in the hot seat for the Dutchman, whose stuttering side are 11 points off the Premier League top four and have the FA Cup as their only remaining route to silverware.

But Ratcliffe’s recent minority purchase of the club from the Glazer family offers hope of long-term improvement, with the Ineos chairman also taking control of football operations.

Rumours continue about Ten Hag’s future as the summer approaches and Solskjaer, United’s previous permanent manager, would like to see him succeed at Old Trafford.

“I don’t think there’s a magic wand (at United) as in, ‘We’ve changed the owners’,” the 1999 treble hero said in the latest episode of Stick to Football in partnership with Sky Bet.

“Obviously, they’ve got their ways of working – the Glazers have still got their commercial – who knows how it’s going to be in football with that side of it.

“Obviously Erik, I hope he’s going to be successful. We hope he’s going to make it, but you never know what the new owners are thinking. It’s about results and consistency the rest of the season.”

Solskjaer knows all about any difficulties working under the Glazer family and with many of the current United squad, having been in charge between December 2018 and November 2021.

The Norwegian kept his counsel for a long time but is beginning to speak publicly again, including recently revealing some United players did not want to be captain for certain matches.

“No one said ‘no’ to being the club captain, it was just for certain games,” Solskjaer said.

“Yes, but they didn’t want to say it themselves, they had other people come up to me and say it. It was disappointing. It’s a different generation, its Gen Z. It’s petty and shows a lack of ambition.”

United players have not only been turning down the chance to skipper the side but even face a handful of underarm questions in a pre-match host broadcast interview.

“Many players said no to doing the pre-match interviews, the three questions,” Solskjaer said.

“You had the go-to’s, Bruno (Fernandes) always did it, Harry (Maguire) always did it, Victor (Lindelof) did it, David (De Gea) did it, Luke Shaw did it.

“The others were worried about the questions, so preferred not to do it. You’re scared of the whole reaction maybe, but you also understand some of the players’ mental health.”

Solskjaer has focused on the wellbeing of himself and his family since being sacked by United, turning down numerous opportunities to return to the game.

“I needed time out, and I have properly enjoyed it. Just prioritised myself, family – and I have had a few offers with (other clubs) and it’s like, ‘Nah, I’m not ready’,” he added.

“It’s one of them, it’s got to be somewhere where I can be myself, not like anyone dictating, ‘You need to do this, you need to do this’, because when you’ve been at United, you manage them, you learn a few things, and you want to do it your way next time. So, yeah, I’ve enjoyed myself.

“That’s the thing, you think, ‘I don’t really need a job’, but then if something pops up then yeah, why not?”

Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021 after nearly three years in charge.

His successor Erik ten Hag has said there was “no good culture” when he arrived at Old Trafford in May 2022.

“Some weren’t as good as their own perception of themselves,” Solskjaer, 50, told The Athletic.

The former United and Norway forward added: “I won’t name names, but I was very disappointed when a couple turned down the chance to be captain.

“I was also disappointed when others said they wouldn’t play or train because they wanted to force their way out.”

Solskjaer’s United finished second in the 2020-21 season and lost the Europa League final on penalties to Villarreal.

At the start of the following season, he signed England forward Jadon Sancho and France defender Raphael Varane and re-signed former United forward and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo.

But he was sacked 12 Premier League matches into the new campaign following a 4-1 loss to Watford.

“When you have a group you need everyone to pull in the same direction,” he added. “When things didn’t go right, you could see certain players and egos came out.”

‘A dream but difficult job’

Ten Hag has had to deal with numerous off-the-field issues this season, with Jadon Sancho training away from the first-team squad and Brazilian winger Antony delaying his return to Old Trafford “to address allegations” of assault made against him.

Mason Greenwood has joined Spanish top-flight side Getafe on loan following an internal club investigation after criminal charges against him, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped.

In addition, the club’s ownership has still not been resolved after the Glazer family said they were considering selling as they “explore strategic alternatives” in November 2022.

Pressure is building on Ten Hag, with United having lost three of their opening five Premier League games this season.

Asked if he has sympathy for Ten Hag, Solskjaer said: “I know what he’s going through. It’s a dream job, but it’s difficult.

“You’re dealing with humans with all their problems and backgrounds – this isn’t a computer simulation.

“But most are good professionals who want to do well. Some think about number one first, but most think of the club.”

There have been fan protests against the Glazer’s ownership but Solskjaer described them as “honest and upfront” in the conversations he has had with them.

“I had to be patient and mentally strong – and I was. And they’ve backed the manager now,” he added.

Ronaldo return ‘turned out wrong’

Solskjaer re-signed Ronaldo – to much fanfare – on 31 August 2021, 12 years after the Portuguese superstar had left for Real Madrid.

But the move back to Old Trafford turned sour when he criticised the club and said he had “no respect” for manager Ten Hag, which lead to Ronaldo’s departure to Al-Nasr, in Saudi Arabia, in December.

“It was a decision that was very difficult to turn down and I felt we had to take it, but it turned out wrong,” Solskjaer said of Ronaldo’s return.

“It felt so right when he [Ronaldo] signed and the fans felt that at that Newcastle game when Old Trafford was rocking [after Ronaldo scored twice in a 4-1 win].

“He was still one of the best goalscorers in the world, he was looking strong.”

Haaland, Rice, Bellingham and Kane were all targets

Solskjaer also revealed the club could not buy the players he mentioned to them.

They included Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, before he joined RB Salzburg in 2019, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, who signed for the Gunners in a £100m deal from West Ham in July and Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund this summer.

Asked which players he tried to sign, Solskjaer said: “Erling Haaland, before he made his Salzburg debut.

“Declan Rice wouldn’t have cost what he did in the summer. We discussed Moises Caicedo, but we felt we needed players ready for there and then.

“We wanted Jude Bellingham badly – he’s a Man United player – but I respect he chose Dortmund. That was probably sensible.”

Speaking about England captain Harry Kane, who moved to Bayern Munich this summer from Tottenham, he added: “I would have signed Kane every day of the week and my understanding was that he wanted to come, but the club didn’t have the budget with the financial constraints from Covid-19.

“There was no bottomless pit.”

The Norwegian boss is under intense pressure after a 5-0 home thumping by Liverpool and a one-sided 2-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City on Saturday.

Ferdinand has been one of many ex-United players to voice support for his former team-mate, who led the club to a second-place finish in the league last season.

The ex-England defender said fans started the season full of hope after the high-profile signings of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane before results nosedived.

“I sit here now and I don’t think we can challenge to win this league,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe with Five podcast.

“I look at our team every week and I’m wondering what are we going to do tactically. I don’t see any philosophy or an identity in the Man United way of playing, whatever that should be from the management. I sit here confused, looking at the team.”

Ferdinand said United had made steady progress during Solskjaer’s nearly three years at the helm but now he felt there is a need for a change.

“I was always deep down a bit sceptical,” said the 43-year-old. “Could he take us on to be champions? I wasn’t sure, I wasn’t fully convinced — I hoped he would be able to do that.

“But the showing with the squad that he accumulated, to the beginning of this season –- and what I’ve seen this season — I just feel it might be about the time now for the baton to be handed over to somebody else who can take us on now.

“And I think Ole would leave now with his head held high because from when he came in to where he got us to the beginning of the season I think it’s positive.”

United forward Marcus Rashford acknowledged that the Red Devils are going through a “difficult patch” but said the club had to maintain the ambition to end a four-year trophy drought this season.

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Rashford was speaking from Windsor Castle on Tuesday after a ceremony for the royal honour he was awarded following his campaign to help disadvantaged children.

On the field, the England international has recently returned to fitness after shoulder surgery, scoring three times in six appearances.

“I know at the moment we’re in a difficult patch but the desire and ambition never changes,” said Rashford.

“We all play for the badge and the club, something for me I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid.

“For the players that we sign, they see Manchester United as the great club it is and they want to give everything they can for the badge.

“And those things remain the same whether you’re in good spells or bad spells.”

There is no indication coming from the club of Solskjaer losing his job and as things stand he is expected to be in charge to face Watford after the international break.

Speculation was intense with regards to his position following the 5-0 humiliation by Liverpool, but the focus from within the club at that time was about improving and fixing the issues.

A victory at Spurs together with a draw at Atalanta, which kept United top of their Champions League group last week, seemed to have calmed the situation, however, Saturday’s 2-0 loss to City reignited the questions over Solskjaer’s future.

Speaking following that City victory, Gary Neville suggested a decision would not be made until after the departure of Ed Woodward at the end of the year.

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No decision has been announced as to a successor to Woodward, however, Sky Sports News’ understanding is that that process will have no bearing on any decisions which may or may not be made regarding the manager, as ultimately the board make such decisions as a whole with the final sign-off coming from Joel Glazer.

Asked if he is beginning to feel like he is on borrowed time after the City defeat, Solskjaer told Sky Sports: “No, I don’t start to feel like that.

“I have good communication all the time with the club that’s very upfront and honest about the situation.

“I’m sure when we come back the players will be fresh in their minds from internationals, and of course the demands on the players, on me, are going to be high.

“We’ve just got to get back to what we started to look like and what we were for a while. We’ve got the players to do that.

“We’ve been through this a few times. Since the last game we played here [Liverpool defeat], it’s been a very difficult period and we’ve gone away from what we used to be. We need to be on the front foot more, I can’t look at myself and say this is the way I want Manchester United to play.”

Mohamed Salah scored a hat-trick at Old Trafford as United slip to seventh on the league table, stretching their winless run in the league to four matches.

Solskjaer’s position has come under more scrutiny after Sunday’s defeat but the Norwegian vowed to stay and fight for his job.

“I do believe in myself,” Solskjaer told reporters. “I do believe that I’m getting close to what I want with the club. I think what we’ve done, what I’ve seen, the development.

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“Of course, the results lately haven’t been good enough, I have to say, and that’s… hands up. And that brings doubt in anyone’s mind, probably. But I’ve got to keep strong and I do believe in what we’ve been doing.”

Solskjaer, who was named United’s permanent manager in March 2019, has yet to win a trophy with the club.

United are eight points behind league leaders Chelsea and play away to Tottenham Hotspur in the league on Saturday before travelling to Italy three days later to face Atalanta in the Champions League group stage.

“Today’s rock bottom, low in confidence,” Solskjaer added. “But, you know, the next week it’s Tottenham away. It’s a Champions League game, Atalanta, the next team who visits us is Manchester City.

“We have to look forward. We have to sort the frame of minds out and make sure we go into the next training session in the next game with the right frame of mind.”