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According to interim boss Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy will be in the Celtic dugout during Sunday's Premiership match against Heart of Midlothian.

Columbus Crew's head coach has been engaged in advanced negotiations with the Glasgow club for nearly seven days and currently looks set to wrap up an agreement.

Martin O'Neill has held the role of temporary gaffer for over a month ever since Brendan Rodgers stepped down, securing six wins out of seven games, narrowing the lead at the top in the league table while also steering the club to League Cup final spot.

The veteran manager, who previously managed Celtic between 2000 to 2005, had previously suggested he expected the match at Easter Road – which ended in a 2-1 win – would be the last game of his second spell in charge.

Yet, the interim boss disclosed he will oversee the team in the midweek league encounter against Dens Park prior to Nancy steps into the role.

"He's the individual that will be taking over," stated O'Neill to TalkSport. "I assumed my time was up on Sunday, but there's some formalities still to be dealt with. Wednesday will definitely be the end for me."

A Surreal Spell

"This has been unreal," he added. "It's like a part of your life where you think 'did that actually occur?' Am I delighted to have taken it on? Absolutely."

Should Celtic beat Dundee while the Jambos see off Kilmarnock on Wednesday, Nancy could lead his new club to summit of the table if they win in his opening fixture as manager.

"It's a decent start for him against Hearts," O'Neill said. "A gentle introduction. It will be a tough match of course but I wish him all the best. At the very least he takes over a side with some self-belief."

The team's morale is a result of the positive run on the field over the past month or so, a period where he lost only once – a 3-1 loss at the Danish side in the Europa League.

However, the former Irish national team boss along with his squad then bounced back to achieve a first away win in Europe since 2021 as they beat the Dutch club 3-1 recently.

Rebuilding Belief

"We were defeated by them," O'Neill recalled. "That proved to be a hard fixture – a few weeks before they defeated Forest, so that was difficult. To go to Feyenoord and win away from home was fantastic. We've given the team an opportunity, with three games left to try to qualify, but that victory in Rotterdam helped restore confidence."

What Comes Next

When asked for his reflections on his time as interim boss, O'Neill says it has prompted thoughts about whether he desires to carry on managing going forward.

"I honestly don't know," he admitted. "I will have a moment to reflect on everything following Wednesday evening."

"It was challenging," he continued. "There was apprehension about failing – that is always a major worry. I once joked I could do this job equally as badly as many other managers."

"I've learned a lot. I've got some excellent coaching staff working with me and it's been a new lease on life for me in many ways, dealing with young people every day."

A Potential Advisory Position?

Regarding whether he will stay at Celtic as an advisor, the ex- Leicester, Aston Villa and Ireland boss says that is entirely the decision of Nancy.

"That is really for Nancy to make," O'Neill said. "He must be given full autonomy. Should he desire my input on things, that's fine. If he doesn't, that's not a problem either. It's very much his squad the moment he enters the job."

Presenter Jim White ended the interview by asking O'Neill whether he might get emotional or sentimental once the full-time whistle sounded in the Dundee game.

"Do you mean am I going to cry?" O'Neill replied. "Please don't be stupid."