Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already hinted at key Man Utd transfer decision

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The would-be appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as interim manager at Manchester United until the end of the season could prove beneficial for their out-of-favour academy graduate, Kobbie Mainoo , with the manager having previously made his views on one transfer decision crystal clear.

United have been in discussions with the Norwegian about potentially taking up the reins as temporary boss until the summer. The club are searching for a new manager following Ruben Amorim's dismissal earlier this week.

Solskjaer is without a club after departing Turkish outfit Besiktas during the summer months. Any appointment at United would, of course, mark another return to Old Trafford, where he was in charge between November 2019 and November 2021 and spent time as a player.

Scott McTominay was a mainstay under the former and possibly incoming manager, but he found himself side-lined after his departure. He secured a transfer to Italian club Napoli in 2024 and has flourished since making the switch, finishing in 18th place in last year's Ballon d'Or list.

Speaking with the BBC back in May, Solskjaer remarked: "Scott and Fred together, they were lads you would put your hat on every day to give 100 per cent. How you can sell Scott is beyond me."

McTominay's predicament at United bears similarities to Mainoo's current situation. Napoli have, reportedly, been interested in the England international during this transfer window, but the managerial uncertainty could alter the landscape for both club and player.

Mainoo found his opportunities limited under Amorim, but Solskjaer's position on McTominay's sale suggests he might well be afforded greater opportunities should the former striker be installed as interim manager. With increased playing time, Mainoo will be eager to rediscover the form that made him instrumental in United's FA Cup triumph in 2024 and England's journey to the Euros final the following summer.

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Should he succeed, a return to the England squad for the summer's World Cup could well be on the cards. Mainoo isn't the only player who could flourish under Solskjaer, as the Norwegian manager also heaped praise on defender Harry Maguire , whom he signed from Leicester City in 2019.

"For me, Harry has always been a leader and a fighter," he said. "I was never in doubt when I signed him and he walked in the door he would be captain for us."

Maguire has been side-lined for nine recent Premier League matches due to injury, but returned to the bench for Wednesday night's 2-2 draw with Burnley at Turf Moor. Should he take charge until the end of the campaign, Solskjaer will be working with familiar faces from his previous United stint and players he's never managed before - a situation which naturally presents its own difficulties.

"Look, recruitment is probably the most important thing in football," he said.

"You need the structures right and you need to get the right people in.

"When you manage two, three, four or five different managers' players, it is hard to make it balance into a team you want to see. Everyone knows you need continuity and patience to get success, but not too many get it."