Ole Gunnar Solskjaer explains why Darren Fletcher joined Manchester United’s coaching staff

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Darren Fletcher “DNA Man Utd” was a factor in the decision to promote the former Red Devils midfielder to his coaching team.

It was announced on Monday that Fletcher, 36, had taken the step from working with the club’s U-16 academy to coaching the first team at United.

He is replacing Solskjaer’s longtime assistant Mark Dempsey, who has gone the other way for a role in the Academy.

Fletcher enjoyed an impressive playing career at Old Trafford, winning five times Premier League The titles and the Champions League, among others, prior to periods in West Bromwich and Stoke.

He has returned to United since October, and Solskjaer wasted little time building on his first-tier experience.

“He got the DNA of Man United and there was an open space because Mark Dempsey had moved to the academy,” Solskjaer said. “We felt he was so valuable there, he was great at the academy and helping.

“Then when that opening came, Darren was away from the club for a few years, but then he returned to coaching with the 16s and with his experience of being here in both successful and difficult times, we felt that now for Darren, come and give us this input.”

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Fletcher came through the United ranks as a player, spending 12 years at the club as a professional after making his debut in 2003.

But it was his experiences at West Bromwich and Stoke that convinced Solskjaer to promote him to his back-team.

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“I think it’s also important that we bring in former players who were elsewhere,” Solskjaer added.

“I’ve been elsewhere after working under Mick Phelan, Sir Alex [Ferguson] And Carlos [Queiroz]. We know one way to train, but they were in different clubs and had different ideas.

“Let him, with his thoughts and ideas, do better in the back staff.”