Gio van Bronckhorst replaced by Man United idol at Besiktas as Jose Mourinho grudge match is ON

Former Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has been replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Besiktas.

The ex-Manchester United gaffer will take up the reins in Turkey and it is his first job in the dugout since he was sacked by the Red Devils three years ago. GVB lasted just five months in the Super Lig and was sacked in November. Serdar Topraktepe was placed as an interim coach with the Eagles currently fifth in the league.

First reported by Turkish news outlet Sports Digitale, Solskjaer will pen a one-and-a-half-year deal in Istanbul. The Norwegian landed in Istanbul earlier today, accompanied by his agent Jim Solbakken. He is expected to be officially announced by Besiktas in the coming hours. A club statement read: "Our company has started negotiations with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the position of Football A team technical director."

The move has an added X Factor with the Norwegian now all lined up to face Jose Mourinho who is in charge of Fenerbahce. Solskjaer replaced Mourinho on an interim basis at Manchester United in December 2018, before signing a three-year contract in March 2019. The pair have come to blows both in the dugout and the press room before.

Solskjaer claimed Heung Min Son dived during his side's 3-1 win at Spurs in 2021, coached then by Mourinho. The Portuguese boss replied: "I am very, very disappointed, and like we say in Portugal bread is bread and cheese is cheese, I told Ole already what I think about his comments." Solskjaer's first match in charge is likely to be on January 22, when his team faces Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League.

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