Molde's billionaire backer has withdrawn his company's 20-year backing of the Norwegian club after being angered by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's "casual" talks with Aston Villa.

Former Manchester United hitman Solskjaer travelled to England yesterday to hold talks with the Birmingham club, a move that irked Kjell Inge Rokke, chairman and a major shareholder in industrial investment firm Aker.

Rokke said Solskjaer had been asked to answer questions about his plans before holding talks with Villa but had not provided answers.

He said: "This is perceived as incompatible with the MFK (Molde Football Club) community that we are both a part of."

A statement released on behalf of Rokke's business said: "Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has not hidden the fact that one day he could go back to England. Nevertheless, Aker is surprised that he dropped Friday's training and headed to England in public for informal talks with Aston Villa before three major league games in a week."

Solskjaer has said that he is one of many names in the frame for the post vacated by Alex McLeish on Monday.