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According to caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy will be in the Celtic dugout for Sunday's Scottish Premiership fixture against Heart of Midlothian.

Columbus Crew's head coach has been part of serious talks with the Parkhead side for almost a week and now appears ready to wrap up a contract.

Martin O'Neill has held the role of temporary gaffer for more than a month since Brendan Rodgers resigned, achieving six victories in seven matches, narrowing the lead at the top of the league table while also steering the Parkhead outfit to Premier Sports Cup final spot.

The veteran manager, who once coached the club between 2000 and 2005, had already said he thought Sunday's visit to Hibernian – which ended in a 2-1 win – would be his final act in his second spell in charge.

But, the interim boss disclosed he will manage the team in Wednesday's Premiership match with Dens Park before Nancy steps into the role.

"He is the person who will be taking over," O'Neill said to TalkSport. "I thought my time was up last weekend, however there remains paperwork yet to be sorted. The Dundee game will definitely be my final game."

A Surreal Spell

"This has been unreal," O'Neill continued. "It feels like a part of your life where you think 'did all of that really happen?' Am I delighted to have taken it on? Most certainly."

Should Celtic beat Dundee and the Jambos defeat Killie in midweek, Nancy could potentially take Celtic to summit of the table if they win in his opening fixture as manager.

"That's a nice one for him against Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A good way to start. It is going to be a challenging fixture naturally and I wish him all the best. At the very least he inherits a side full of confidence."

That confidence stems from the positive run in matches over the past five weeks, where he has suffered just one defeat – a 3-1 defeat at Midtjylland in the European competition.

However, the former Irish national team boss and his players were then able to achieve their first away win on the continent since 2021 with a win over the Dutch club 3-1 recently.

A Confidence Boost

"We lost by Midtjylland," O'Neill recalled. "That was a hard fixture – a couple of weeks before they thrashed Nottingham Forest, so that was a challenge. To travel to Feyenoord and secure a victory on their patch was excellent. We have given ourselves a chance, with three matches left to attempt qualification, but that victory in Rotterdam was key for confidence."

Thoughts on the Future

When asked for his thoughts on his time as interim boss, O'Neill says it has led to consideration on if he desires to carry on managing going forward.

"I genuinely don't know," he admitted. "I'll take a little think on everything following Wednesday evening."

"It wasn't easy," he continued. "There was apprehension about failing – which is always a big concern. I used to boast I could do this job equally as badly as a lot of other managers."

"I've learned a lot. I have had some excellent coaching staff alongside me and it has served as a reinvigoration for me in many ways, interacting with young players every day."

Consultancy Role?

Regarding whether he will stay with the club as an advisor, the former Leicester, Aston Villa and Ireland manager stated this is entirely the decision of Wilfried Nancy.

"That is really for the new boss to make," O'Neill stated. "He must be allowed his own space. If he wants my advice on things, that is acceptable. If he doesn't, that is okay either. It becomes his squad the minute he steps into the role."

Presenter the interviewer concluded by asking if O'Neill if he would be emotional once the final whistle blew in the Dundee game.

"Do you mean if I will get tearful?" O'Neill replied. "Please don't be ridiculous."