Zidane, Pochettino Favourites to Take Over at Manchester United

Segun Atanda & Agency Report/

Former Real Madrid boss, Zinedine Zidane  and Tottenham manager, Mauricio Pochettino are among the bookmakers’ favourites to take the United job at the end of the season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer however looks set to replace Jose Mourinho as United’s interim manager after the club appeared to accidentally announce the appointment on their website.

Mourinho was axed on Tuesday after just two-and-half years in charge at Old Trafford and the troubled Premier League club are reportedly ready to bring back one of their old heroes to take his place on a temporary basis.

Solskjaer, currently in charge of Norway’s Molde, was widely reported to be United’s leading candidate for the interim role for the rest of the season while they search for a permanent appointment in the close-season.

There has been no official announcement from the club, however a video appeared on United’s official website celebrating Solskjaer and seeming to confirm his appointment.

A video of him scoring the winner for United in their 1999 Champions League final triumph against Bayern Munich was accompanied with the headline ‘The most famous night of Ole’s career’.

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg also appeared to confirm Solskjaer’s appointment, writing on Twitter: “Great day for Norwegian football. Good luck keeping control of the Red Devils.”

Solskjaer, nicknamed the baby-faced assassin, scored 128 goals in 367 appearances for United during 10 seasons playing under the club’s legendary boss Alex Ferguson, who signed him from Molde in 1996.

After retiring, the Norwegian was appointed as United’s reserve-team boss before joining Molde as manager in 2010.

Solskjaer had an ill-fated spell in charge of Cardiff in 2014, winning just nine of his 30 games as they were relegated from the Premier League before being dismissed and returning to Molde in 2015.

Molde’s season ended last month and does not resume until March 31, with Solskjaer unlikely to refuse the chance to manage such a prestigious club.

Ironically, his first match in charge of United could be against Cardiff on Saturday if the mooted deal is completed in time.

United are in sixth place in the Premier League after their worst start for 28 years.

Mourinho is expected to pocket £22.5 million severance pay.

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