Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently shared that Wolverhampton Wanderers were keen on signing him before he joined Manchester United in 1996. The Norwegian striker moved from Molde to United for the 1996-97 season, eventually becoming a legendary figure at Old Trafford. His most iconic moment was scoring the last-minute winner against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final at Camp Nou.
Solskjaer's career at Manchester United was illustrious, with him netting 91 goals and providing 31 assists in 235 Premier League appearances. Remarkably, he started only 151 of those matches. Under Sir Alex Ferguson's management, Solskjaer won six league titles, two FA Cups, and Community Shields, alongside their Champions League victory.
In an interview with
the BBC, Solskjaer recounted how he could have ended up at Wolves after a World Cup qualifier for Norway against Azerbaijan. "For Norway, this is probably one of the most important games in my career. We played Norway against Azerbaijan and I scored two very good goals," said Solskjaer.
During that match, Jim Ryan, Manchester United's assistant manager, was present to scout Ronny Johnsen but noticed Solskjaer's performance. Coincidentally, Mark McGhee, then Wolverhampton's manager, was also watching the game. McGhee needed a centre-forward and saw potential in Solskjaer after his two goals.
Jim Ryan quickly informed Sir Alex Ferguson about Solskjaer's potential. He told Ferguson that they needed to act fast as Wolverhampton was also interested in signing a forward. "I think I found one and he won't be expensive. It's a cheap one, but we've got to be quick because Wolverhampton are also signing a centre-forward," Ryan reportedly said.
Solskjaer's debut for Manchester United was memorable as he scored as a substitute to secure a 2-2 draw against Blackburn Rovers in their third game of the season. Another standout performance came when he scored four goals off the bench against Nottingham Forest in February 1999, helping United win 8-1.
You are my Solskjaer #OnThisDay in 1996, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer joined #MUFC from Molde. you know the rest pic.twitter.com/eKXbUW41ps
- Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 29, 2020
Solskjaer's journey from being scouted by Wolves to becoming a Manchester United legend is remarkable. His achievements at Old Trafford are celebrated by fans worldwide and his story remains an inspiring chapter in football history.
