Ole Gunnar Solskjaer leads race to fill vacant Premier League job

Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer might make a return to English football as he’s reportedly one of the leading candidates for a shock Premier League job.

Solskjaer has enjoyed his share of English football, both as a player and a manager. The Norwegian previously managed both Cardiff City and Manchester United in the Premier League, before leaving the latter in 2021.

The 53-year-old became head coach of Turkish side Beşiktaş in 2025, after taking a four-year break from management.

However, his adventure in Turkey lasted for just nine months as he was sacked after Beşiktaş failed to progress through the Conference League play-offs in August of that year.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s last job was at Besiktas. (Photo By Ben McShane/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Now seeking a new challenge, Solskjaer has been linked with the vacant managerial role at Ipswich Town.

Kieran McKenna stepped down as Ipswich Town boss on June 10, despite guiding the Tractor Boys to promotion to the Premier League in 2026.

Report from BBC Sport claim Solskjaer is high on the club’s shortlist, while former Wolves and Bournemouth manager Gary O’Neil, who currently manages Strasbourg, is also a leading candidate.

Solskjaer was once linked with a return to Manchester United in January but the Premier League giant opted to appoint Michael Carrick.

He was also linked with the Rangers job in 2024 but things failed to materialised.

It’s now left to be seen if he’ll be allowed to fill the void left by McKenna at Ipswich.

The likes of Brendan Rodgers, Liam Rosenior, Kim Hellberg, and Oliver Glasner have also been mentioned as a potential candidate.