One of the best finishers in the game with a cannonball of a shot, he started his career with Clausenegen FK, moving to Molde in 1995. Alex Ferguson paid a £1.5million fee for Solskjaer's services in the summer of 1996.

Solskjaer scored on his first team debut with his first touch against Blackburn Rovers, and ended the season with 19 goals, 18 of them in the League, winning a League Championship medal in his first season.

After an indifferent and injury-hit first season, he decided to stay with United and fight for his place when Spurs bid £5.5million for him in the summer of 1998, a gamble that paid dividends of the highest kind for him and his club.

Despite the arrival of the Dwight Yorke-Andy Cole strike partnership and being limited to substitute appearances he had a season of unbelievable cameos. When he got on the pitch he rewarded the manager and the fans, for whom he has been a favourite since his arrival at Old Trafford.

After scoring a dramatic winner against Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup, he bagged four goals in thirteen minutes during an 8-1 rout of Nottingham Forest and then delivered the coup de grace in Barcelona to win his place in United folklore.

The 1999/2000 season was another vintage year for the little Norwegian, as again limited to only a few first team opportunities, he smashed in fifteen goals. Such form led to a chase from several clubs wanting his predatory skills, with the promise of first team football.

However he announced his intention to stay with the club towards the end of the season and was rewarded with a better run in the side and his best season yet in a United shirt.

As Cole and Yorke both drifted away from the team, Solskjaer became the partner of choice for Ruud Van Nistelrooy and bagged 17 league goals and eight in the Champions League, some them as an auxiliary midfielder.

Played in Euro 2000 for Norway though could not get on the score sheet during the tournament as Norway crashed out in the first stage. Meanwhile he was able to celebrate the birth of his first child, a son, Noah.

As Dwight Yorke disappeared from the picture, Solskjaer continued in his goalscoring form. Netted his 100th goal for United in a 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion on the opening day of the 2002/03 season.