ISTANBUL (AP) — Ole Gunnar Solskjær was hired as Beşiktaş coach on Saturday in his first managerial position since being fired by Manchester United more than three years ago.

The Turkish club said Solskjær has been given an 18-month contract, taking the Norwegian through to the end of next season, with the option for a further year.

“We believe Ole Gunnar Solskjær will make significant contributions to our club, and we warmly welcome him to the Beşiktaş family, wishing him great success,” Beşiktaş said in a statement.

Beşiktaş, which was playing third-place Samsunspor later on Saturday, is sixth in the Turkish league standings and has been without a coach since Dutchman Giovanni van Bronckhorst was fired in late November.

Solskjær hasn’t coached since 2021, when he was let go by United.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær appointed Besiktas coach in 1st role since being fired by Man United | iNFOnews.ca — Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wears a Besiktas scarf after being appointed head coach of the Turkish soccer team, outside the Besiktas Sports Club headquarters in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Saycan Sayim/DIA Photo via AP)

He won six Premier League titles in a glittering career as player for United, memorably scoring the dramatic late winner in the 1999 Champions League final.

The 51-year-old Solskjær also managed Cardiff briefly in 2014 and Norwegian club Molde on two occasions.