Former Manchester United striker and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made quite the start at Besiktas.
After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked by Manchester United in 2021, he took an extended break from management to spend time in Norway.
However, four years on, Solskjaer joined Besiktas in January in what is just his fourth managerial job. His first few weeks in Turkey have been eye-opening.
Solskjaer’s Besiktas have been in great form, climbing up to fourth in the Turkish Super Lig following their poor start to the campaign.
Unlike Ruben Amorim at United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer joined midway through the season and has provided an uplift in results. He is now adding to his staff, and his latest addition is very interesting.
Chief scout joins Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Besiktas
Since his exit, Solskjaer revealed that United missed out on Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland despite both being scouted by the club.
Solskjaer did sign Amad Diallo during his time as manager, while he also brought through several youngsters from the academy. Now at Besiktas, he has brought in a scout to help his recruitment in Turkey.
Besiktas revealed on Saturday that Eduard Graf has been appointed as the club’s new Football Technical and Scouting Director.
He will work alongside Solskjaer in the footballing department and help with recruitment and scouting.
Before making the move to Turkey, Graf spent 12 years at Borussia Dortmund, where he was a Chief Scout and was involved in signing Jadon Sancho.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer responsible for Jadon Sancho mistake
United had been in pursuit for over a year before Sancho was signed for £73m in 2021. Solskjaer was eager to bring him to Old Trafford, but the English winger failed to live up to expectations.
Solskjaer stuck by Sancho despite his poor form in Manchester, but with 12 goals in 83 appearances for United, he adds his name to a worryingly large list of transfer flops.
His form never picked up after Solskjaer’s exit, and Sancho’s public fall-out with Erik ten Hag marked the beginning of the end of his United career.
READ MORE: Jadon Sancho stat shows miserable creative output this season, Manchester United are not missing him
Graf was involved in Sancho’s move to Dortmund, and he was also involved when Sancho returned to Dortmund on loan last year. The Bundesliga side decided against signing Sancho permanently, and he is now set to join Chelsea this summer due to an obligatory buy clause.
Solskjaer will now work alongside Graf, who was also responsible for signings such as Ian Maatsen and Maximilian Beier during his time in Germany.
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