Manchester United: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer announced as permanent manager on three-year deal

Manchester United have announced the appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as their permanent manager on a three-year deal.

Solskjaer, appointed as interim manager following Jose Mourinho's sacking in December, has won 14 of the 19 games he has presided over since and guided United to the brink of the top four and into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The famous win over Paris Saint-Germain in particular made the decision an easy one with the man himself "honoured" to get the role on a full-time basis.

"From the first day I arrived, I felt at home at this special club,” he said. “It was an honour to be a Manchester United player, and then to start my coaching career here.

"The last few months have been a fantastic experience and I want to thank all of the coaches, players and staff for the work we’ve done so far.

"This is the job that I always dreamed of doing and I’m beyond excited to have the chance to lead the club long-term and hopefully deliver the continued success that our amazing fans deserve."

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward says that Solskjaer's "desire" and "deep understanding" of the club made him the right man for the job.

“Since coming in as caretaker manager in December, the results Ole has delivered speak for themselves," he added.

“More than just performances and results, Ole brings a wealth of experience, both as a player and as a coach, coupled with a desire to give young players their chance and a deep understanding of the culture of the club. This all means that he is the right person to take Manchester United forward.

“I want to thank Ole and the coaching team for everything they have done so far and congratulate him on this richly deserved appointment. The fans and everyone at the club are behind him as he looks to take us where we need to be and build the next stage of our history.”

Solskjaer, who scored 126 goals in 366 appearanes for United, was already a hero to fans as the man who scored the stoppage-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final to complete the treble.

After Mourinho was sacked following a 3-1 loss to Liverpool on December 16, Solskjaer initially arrived from Molde 'on loan' until the end of the season.

The Norwegian club had been adamant he would return to his job there with United poised to look elsewhere for a permanent boss, but Solskjaer's results were impossible to ignore and former players had been queuing up to call for his appointment.

Former United defender Gary Neville welcomed the appointment and urged the club to back the new full-time boss financially.

"I'm delighted for Ole," Neville tweeted. "I didn't think this would happen when he was appointed. However the results and spirit in the club have been incredible since he arrived and he deserves it. He now needs support in the transfer market in terms of finance and the right resource!"

Solskjaer's former United teammate Peter Schmeichel tweeted: "Congratulations my friend, it is well deserved. Up and onwards lets chase some trophies."

Solskjaer's next game - and 20th since taking over - is against Watford at Old Trafford on Saturday.