OLE TO BE PAID AS HE PLAYS

Manchester United are to offer the luckless Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a pay-as-you-play contract next season after deciding to stick by the player who scored their winning goal in the 1999 European Cup final.

Solskjaer's latest injury, a broken cheekbone, had prompted doubts about his position at Old Trafford but Sir Alex Ferguson will recommend to the club's chief executive David Gill that they offer the Norwegian a new contract when his current deal expires at the season's end.

Ferguson's proposal will have to be supported by the Glazer family but if the United manager gets his way Solskjaer will be offered one more year to prove he is still a Premiership-class striker, albeit on vastly reduced wages and with a heavy emphasis on appearance-related pay.

Solskjaer, who underwent surgery last night, had indicated that he would be happy to accept such a package, acutely aware that there are legitimate questions about whether he will ever be back to his best.

His latest injury occurred seven minutes into a reserve game against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night, when he was caught by Ugo Ehiogu as the former England defender attempted to head clear.

Solskjaer, clearly disoriented, was taken to hospital where it was confirmed he would be sidelined for up to two months.