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According to interim boss Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy is slated to be leading Celtic for Sunday's Premiership match against Hearts.

Columbus Crew's manager has been involved in detailed discussions with Glasgow club for nearly a week and now seems poised to wrap up an agreement.

Martin O'Neill has been acting as interim boss for over a month ever since Brendan Rodgers resigned, securing six wins in seven games, cutting into the lead at the top in the league table while also steering the Parkhead outfit to League Cup final spot.

The veteran manager, a former boss of Celtic from 2000 and 2005, had previously suggested he believed Sunday's visit to Easter Road – a 2-1 victory – would be the last game in his return in charge.

But, O'Neill revealed he will manage the team in Wednesday's Premiership match with Dens Park before Wilfried Nancy takes over.

"He's the individual that will be taking over," stated O'Neill to TalkSport. "I thought it was over on Sunday, however there remains formalities yet to be sorted. Wednesday will assuredly be my last match."

An Unusual Period

"This has been like a dream," O'Neill continued. "It feels like a chapter of your life where you think 'did that actually occur?' Am I happy to have taken it on? Absolutely."

Should the Hoops defeat their opponents and Hearts overcome Kilmarnock on Wednesday, the incoming boss could lead Celtic to summit of the table with a victory during his debut game in charge.

"It's a good fixture for Nancy versus Hearts," O'Neill said. "A good way to start. It will be a difficult game of course and good luck to him. At least he inherits a team full of confidence."

That confidence stems from the positive run during games over the past five weeks, where he has suffered just one defeat – a 3-1 loss at Midtjylland in the Europa League.

However, the ex- Irish manager along with his squad were then able to secure their first away win on the continent since 2021 with a win over the Dutch club 3-1 recently.

Rebuilding Belief

"We lost by Midtjylland," O'Neill said. "That proved to be a hard fixture – a few weeks before they defeated Nottingham Forest, so that was difficult. To go to De Kuip and win on their patch was terrific. We've given ourselves an opportunity, with three games remaining to attempt qualification, however, the victory in Rotterdam was a restoration of confidence."

Thoughts on the Future

When asked for his thoughts on his time as caretaker, O'Neill stated it has prompted thoughts about whether he would like to carry on managing going forward.

"I honestly am unsure," he admitted. "I will have a little think about things following the match on Wednesday."

"It was not simple," he added. "There was the fear of failing – which is an ever-present big concern. I used to boast that I was capable of doing this job just as poorly as many other gaffers."

"I've learned much. I've got some excellent young coaches working with me and it's been a refresh for me in several respects, dealing with young people daily."

Consultancy Role?

On the subject of whether he will stay at Celtic in a consultancy role, the former Leicester City, Villa and Republic of Ireland boss says that is entirely the decision of Nancy.

"That is solely for Nancy to decide," O'Neill stated. "He must be allowed his own space. Should he desire my advice on matters, that is acceptable. If not, that is okay at all. It becomes his team the moment he steps into the role."

Presenter Jim White concluded by asking if O'Neill if he would be emotional or sentimental once the final whistle sounded on Wednesday.

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