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According to caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy is slated to be leading Celtic for Sunday's Scottish Premiership fixture against Hearts.

Columbus Crew's manager has been involved in advanced negotiations with the Glasgow club for almost a week and now looks set to finalize a deal.

O'Neill has served as caretaker manager for more than a month since Brendan Rodgers departed, securing six victories out of seven matches, reducing Hearts' lead in the league table and guiding the Parkhead outfit to League Cup final spot.

The veteran manager, who previously managed Celtic from 2000 to 2005, had previously suggested he expected Sunday's match at Easter Road – a 2-1 victory – was likely to be the last game of his return in charge.

But, the interim boss disclosed he will manage the team in the midweek league encounter against Dundee before Nancy assumes control.

"He is the individual that will be taking over," O'Neill told TalkSport. "I thought it was over last weekend, however there's some formalities yet to be completed. Wednesday will assuredly be the end for me."

A Surreal Spell

"It has been surreal," he added. "It's like a part of your life that makes you wonder 'did that really happen?' Am I delighted that I took the role? Most certainly."

If the Hoops defeat Dundee while Hearts see off Kilmarnock in midweek, Nancy could guide his new club to summit of the Premiership with a victory during his first match as manager.

"It's a decent start for him versus Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A gentle introduction. It will be a challenging fixture naturally and I wish him all the best. At the very least he takes over a team with a bit of self-belief."

This self-belief is a result of O'Neill's success during games over the past month or so, where he has lost only once – a 3-1 defeat away to the Danish side in the Europa League.

Nevertheless, the former Republic of Ireland national team boss and his players then bounced back to secure their first victory on the road in Europe since 2021 with a win over the Dutch club 3-1 last week.

Rebuilding Belief

"We lost to Midtjylland," O'Neill said. "That proved to be a hard fixture – a couple of weeks before they defeated Nottingham Forest, making it difficult. To go to Feyenoord and secure a victory on their patch was fantastic. We have given ourselves an opportunity, with three games remaining to attempt qualification, but that Feyenoord game was key for belief."

What Comes Next

Upon being asked for his reflections during his time as interim boss, O'Neill says it has led to thoughts about whether he would like to continue managing in the future.

"I genuinely don't know," he said. "I will have a little think about things following Wednesday evening."

"It wasn't easy," he continued. "There was a fear of failure – that is always a major worry. I used to boast that I was capable of doing the job equally as badly as many other managers."

"I have learned a lot. I have had some excellent coaching staff alongside me and it has served as a reinvigoration personally in many ways, working with young people daily."

Consultancy Role?

On the subject of if he might remain at Celtic as an advisor, the ex- Leicester City, Aston Villa and Republic of Ireland manager stated this is completely the decision of Nancy.

"That decision is really for the incoming manager to decide," O'Neill stated. "He must be allowed his own space. Should he desire my input on matters, that is acceptable. If not, that's not a problem at all. It becomes his team the minute he steps into the job."

Presenter Jim White ended the interview by asking O'Neill whether he might get emotional or sentimental once the final whistle sounded on Wednesday.

"Are you asking am I going to cry?" O'Neill responded. "Please don't be silly."