Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spoke out after his appointment at Besiktas in a press conference on Sunday.

The former Manchester United boss has made a return to football over three years on from his brutal sacking at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer, 51, has joined the Turkish outfit on a one-and-a-half-year deal until summer 2026, and will earn €3.6million (£3m) during his tenure, according to club president Serdal Adali. 

‘We had great meetings with our president. We met heart to heart. The bonds we will establish in this team are very important,’ he said.

‘We will create a new foundation here. This was something I wanted very much. Our president touched my heart and the hearts of the technical staff. I followed the matches and Beşiktaş while working at UEFA. I am proud to be in such a club.’

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has joined Besiktas on a one-and-a-half-year deal until summer 2026

The Man United legend will pocket a whopping €3.6million (£3m) during his tenure in Turkey

He revealed that he turned down approaches from multiple clubs before signing with Besiktas

‘I know what the fans want. We will work for this every day. I am only here to win. We have players who have a habit of winning. Beşiktaş is a team that deserves victories. I have always aimed for this in my playing and coaching career and that is why I came here.’

‘I would regret not accepting this before I die. What I said shouldn’t remain just words, I want to start as soon as possible.’ 

Solskjaer went on to liken Besiktas’ project to the struggling United, arguing that both clubs must overturn their slumps in form over recent years.

He added: ‘It’s a similar project to Manchester United. We’ve risen step by step. We want to win, but we also want to be realistic.

‘I said “No” to many offers. Beşiktaş’s project is similar to Manchester United’s project. We need to stop the bad trend.’ 

Solskjaer enjoys legendary status at United following his playing career and won 91 of his 168 games as manager of the club, guiding them to a second place finish in the Premier League and the Europa League final in 2020-21.

Solskjaer, who previously managed Molde in his homeland across two spells and Cardiff City, has been linked with several jobs over recent months, with the former striker tipped to take over at both Leicester and West Ham.

He was even spotted at Molineux for Gary O’Neil’s final Wolves game in charge against Ipswich in December, although it was later revealed that he was there to support his former United assistant Kieran McKenna, the Tractor Boys’ manager.

Solskjaer compared Besiktas’ unenviable situation to United’s struggling form in recent years

The Norwegian has not managed since November 2021, when he was sacked by the Red Devils

Besiktas have been without a manager since the Turkish heavyweights sacked former Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst last month.

With the move now rubberstamped, Solskjaer will come up against Jose Mourinho in the Turkish Super Lig, which is rated as Europe’s 10th best division.

Mourinho is currently in charge of Besiktas’ Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce, adding intrigue given Solskjaer was the coach who succeeded Mourinho at Old Trafford.

Mourinho’s time in Turkey has been as dramatic as ever, with the former Chelsea, Tottenham and United boss regularly rallying against officiating standards, while he recently labelled the league as ‘toxic’.

Solskjaer has taken over a side who are enduring a difficult season, with Besiktas 28th in the Europa League group stage and languishing in sixth place in the league – a far cry from their usual title-fighting form in the Super Lig.

Their squad includes former Premier League stars Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Joao Mario and Arthur Masuaku.

The move to Turkey also comes after Solskjaer was briefly touted for a shock return to Old Trafford before Ruben Amorim took over in November.

His spell in charge of United, which initially started as an interim role, came after Solskjaer enjoyed 11 successful seasons as a player between 1996 and 2007.

United gave their club legend the boot as they languished seventh in the Premier League table

Solskjaer will face ex-United and now Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho in the Turkish league

He scored 126 goals for the Red Devils and won 12 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League during the famous 1998-99 Treble season.

Following retirement in 2007 due to injury, Solskjaer took charge of United’s reserve team, before he impressed as manager of Molde in his homeland between 2010 and 2014, winning two domestic titles.

Solskjaer’s success ensured he got the Cardiff City job, but the 51-year-old endured a difficult nine-month spell in south Wales where he was unable to prevent the Bluebirds from being relegated from the Premier League.

He returned to Molde in 2015 and spent more than three years in the role before United came calling in December 2018.