Article body analysed
By ADRIAN BISHOP Published: 18: 55 AEST, 26 July 2025 | Updated: 18: 55 AEST, 26 July 2025 5 View comments Besiktas manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly debating a move for a former Manchester United star. After a glittering playing career at Old Trafford that saw him etch his name in club folklore, Solskjaer went on to spent nearly three years in the hot seat at Old Trafford as manager between 2018 and 2021. In January, Solskjaer took his first managerial position since being sacked by United and led Besiktas to a fourth-place finish in the Turkish Super Lig. And as he prepares for his first full campaign in charge of the Black Eagles, Solskjaer is said to be eyeing a former Man United player to help shore up his defence. According to a report from The Sun, the Norwegian is open to a move for United academy graduate and former England youth international, Brandon Williams. Williams thrived under Solskjaer's leadership at Old Trafford, and was handed his senior debut by the Champions League winner in September 2019. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly considering offering Brandon Williams a footballing lifeline The 24-year-old defender has not played since a loan spell at Ipswich in the 2023-24 campaign But Williams is reportedly intent on returning to football after issues away from the sport The 24-year-old would go on to make 36 appearances in all competitions in what appeared to a breakout campaign for the latest Carrington graduate tipped for success in the game. However, Williams subsequently found first team opportunities difficult to come by and was sent out on loan with spells East Anglia with both Norwich and Ipswich. During the latter of the two, Williams fell out of favour at a promotion-chasing Tractor Boys side under then-boss Kieran Mc Kenna as his off-field problems began to come to the fore. In May Williams was handed a 14-month suspended jail sentence for dangerous driving. The defender had been 'driving erratically' in his Audi A3 before hitting a Ford Fiesta and careering into the central reservation of the A34 in Cheshire at almost 100mph. Williams admitted he had been trying to show off to a female passenger who was sitting next to him, and a witness is said to have filmed him with a balloon by his mouth. Prosecutors said it was 'fortunate' nobody was seriously injured or killed. Judge Lamb, sitting in the Chester Crown Court, told Williams 'there was no reason for driving in the way you did' but said there was 'strong personal mitigation' after committing the offence at a time of depression. Williams, who had been partying shortly before the crash, was told he had been 'stupid' and earned 'too much too soon'.
Share what you think
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mail Online.
By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your Mail Online comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to Mail Online as usual. Do you want to automatically post your Mail Online comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to Mail Online as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on Mail Online. To do this we will link your Mail Online account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy. Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group