UPDATE 1-Soccer-Man United's Solskjaer says Molde contract may have expired

Interim Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said his contract at Norwegian club Molde may have expired, paving the way for him to take charge permanently at Old Trafford at the end of the season. The former United striker was loaned to the Premier League club by Molde after Jose Mourinho was sacked in December and has guided the team to 13 wins from 16 games in all competitions.

Solskjaer had said previously that Molde's owners would support him if he stayed at United. "I'm not sure how it works. I think the contract has expired and that now I only have a contract with Manchester United," Solskjaer said on Norway's Fotballklubben podcast. "There may have to be another contract (for me to return to Molde)."

British media reported on Tuesday that Molde had taken down a statement on their website saying Solskjaer had signed a new three-year deal with them before his switch to United. However, Molde CEO Oystein Neerland said on Wednesday that he expects Solskjaer to return to the Norwegian club after his stint with United.

"Before Christmas we signed a new agreement with Ole Gunnar for three years, until the end of the 2021 season," Sky Sports quoted Neerland as telling broadcaster TV2 Norway. "Afterwards Ole Gunnar has taken over as temporary manager at United, a job that goes on until the summer. He is now employed at United, and plans to return to Molde after the season."

Solskjaer has rejuvenated United since taking charge and Spain international Ander Herrera became the latest player to back the Norwegian. "If I was sporting director of a club, I'd sign Ole," Herrera told FourFourTwo magazine ahead of Wednesday's Champions League last-16 clash at Paris St Germain.

"I respect the people that take the decisions and I'm not going to say what they should do. Ole has a quality that's difficult to have in football, which is to have the affection of all the players." United, who are without 10 players due to injury or suspension including midfielders Herrera, Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic, lost the first leg of the tie 2-0 at Old Trafford. (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Simon Jennings and Christian Radnedge)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)