Ole Gunnar Solskjær has moved to clarify the extent of his contact with Manchester United, saying he did hold talks about a possible return as interim manager but that the discussions stopped well short of any formal process. Speaking to Norwegian outlet TV2, the former United player and manager said: “I had a good chat with Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada,” Solskjær confessed to Norwegian outlet TV2 . “We didn’t discuss contract length or anything of the sort. I offered to step in if needed, and I made no demands. I shared my thoughts on what is required for the club to move forward. We had one brief conversation. There were no negotiations.”

Solskjær was linked with the role after United moved on from Ruben Amorim, but the job ultimately went to Michael Carrick, his former teammate and assistant coach. Carrick’s appointment was later made permanent after a strong finish to the 2025–26 Premier League season. The picture now looks far less settled, with Carrick under heavy scrutiny following three straight defeats and nine matches without a win. He remains in place for the moment, but the pressure around him has intensified.

Even so, Solskjær has not joined the chorus calling for change. He backed Carrick’s appointment in January and still believes the former midfielder is capable of handling the position. “Michael has what it takes to take that club forward,” Solskjær stated. “I think he’s the right man. He understands the club, understands the fans, and knows what’s required. You don’t see that ‘devil’ in him. But it’s there, and I have it too. We are so incredibly alike.

“Perhaps not many people thought I would become a football coach, certainly not the manager of Manchester United. Many probably thought the same about Michael Carrick. When I spoke with United, I also spoke highly of Michael. ‘If you choose him, you’re getting a good man,’ I said. I believe he did the same for me. Neither of us was desperate to get the job. But we’d likely step up if they asked.”

Solskjær also admitted he still feels unfinished business remains at Old Trafford, though he made clear he is not pushing for the position now.

Manchester United’s latest setback has prompted another hard look at their Premier League prospects, and the numbers are unflattering. With only seven points from nine league matches, and just one win so far, the club sit uncomfortably close to the relegation zone as November begins. They are only two points clear of bottom side Sunderland, a position that underlines how quickly the season has gone wrong.

Opta’s supercomputer has now updated its projections, and while United are not among the leading candidates to go down, the risk is still significant. The model places their chance of relegation at 20.77%, an extraordinary figure for a side with their scale and history. It also forecasts a season total of 44.82 points, which would leave them in 13th place.

That outcome would still be an improvement on their 2024-25 finish, when they ended up two places lower under Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim. But the broader picture is more troubling. A club that began the campaign aiming to establish itself as a Champions League regular is given just a 1.64% chance of reaching Europe’s top competition, while the prospect of the Europa League sits at only 1.87%.

The margin for error is thin, and the coming weeks may deepen the concern. United face five matches across two competitions before and after the international break, starting with Roma at Old Trafford in the Champions League on Tuesday. Aston Villa then visit in the Premier League, followed by a trip to Liverpool after the break. A Champions League game away to Sporting CP comes next, before Brentford arrive at Old Trafford to close the month.

There is still time for results to change the picture, but Opta’s assessment reflects a season that is already moving in the wrong direction.

Real Madrid have emerged as the leading destination for JJ Gabriel after the Manchester United teenager reportedly turned down a fresh approach from Paris Saint-Germain.

The latest development adds another layer to a transfer story that has been building quickly around one of the game’s most talked-about prospects. Gabriel, last season’s U-18 Premier League Player of the Year, is said to be unsettled after what has been described as “Broken promises” over first-team opportunities. Reports have also pointed to difficulties between the player’s family and the club, which has fuelled the expectation that his next step will come away from Old Trafford.

United have offered Gabriel a scholarship contract that would prevent him from leaving for free, but that has not altered the wider picture. As interest gathered from several major clubs, Real Madrid were viewed as the team best placed to secure him from the outset, and recent reports have only strengthened that impression.

SPORT reported that PSG were still trying to stay in the race, putting forward improved economic and sporting terms to Gabriel’s camp. Their hope was to persuade him to join a club where young players have been given opportunities, with Luis Enrique regularly using them during his time in Paris. Dro Fernández, for example, has already made 21 appearances since arriving from Barcelona in January.

Even so, the report states that Gabriel and those around him rejected the offer from the back-to-back Champions League winners. The teenager is said not to believe that leaving the Premier League for Ligue 1 would be the best move for his development, and instead prefers Spain.

Bayern Munich and Barcelona are also understood to be out of the running, leaving Real Madrid with a clear path if one final issue is resolved. That obstacle is the approval of a valid European Union passport.

Gabriel, born and raised in England to an Irish father, is currently working towards a Cypriot passport through his mother’s heritage. Once that is in place, a move to Spain would become possible. He turned 16 on Oct. 6, allowing him to sign a professional contract under FIFA’s regulations on minors and overseas transfers.