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According to interim boss Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy will be on the Celtic touchline during Sunday's Premiership clash versus Heart of Midlothian.

The manager has been involved in serious talks with Glasgow club for nearly seven days and currently looks set to complete a contract.

Martin O'Neill has served as interim boss for more than a month since the previous manager resigned, achieving six victories in seven games, narrowing the lead at the top in the league table while also steering the team to a League Cup place in the final.

The 73-year-old, who once coached the club between 2000 and 2005, had previously suggested he thought the visit to Hibernian – which ended in a 2-1 win – would be the last game in his return in charge.

Yet, O'Neill revealed he is to oversee Celtic in the midweek Premiership match against Dundee prior to Nancy assumes control.

"He is the man set to be taking over," stated O'Neill to TalkSport. "I thought it was over last weekend, however there remains formalities still to be completed. The Dundee game is certainly my final game."

A Surreal Spell

"This has been surreal," he added. "It feels like a chapter of your life where you think 'did that actually occur?' Am I pleased to have taken it on? Absolutely."

Should Celtic defeat their opponents and Hearts overcome Killie in midweek, Nancy could potentially take his new club to summit of the table with a victory in his first match in charge.

"That's a nice one for him against Hearts," O'Neill said. "A nice introduction. It will be a challenging fixture of course and good luck to him. At the very least he's getting a team full of self-belief."

That confidence is a result of the positive run during games over the past five weeks, a period where he suffered just one defeat – a 3-1 defeat at the Danish side during European competition.

Nevertheless, the former Irish manager along with his squad were then able to claim a first away win on the continent since way back in 2021 with a win over Feyenoord 3-1 recently.

A Confidence Boost

"We lost to them," O'Neill recalled. "That proved to be a difficult match – a few weeks before they thrashed Forest, making it a challenge. To go to Feyenoord and secure a victory away from home was excellent. We have given ourselves an opportunity, there are three matches remaining to try to qualify, but that victory in Rotterdam was a restoration of belief."

Future Ambitions

Upon being asked for his thoughts during his time as caretaker, O'Neill stated it has prompted consideration about whether he would like to continue in management going forward.

"I honestly am unsure," he admitted. "I'll take a moment to reflect on everything after Wednesday evening."

"It wasn't easy," he added. "There was the fear of failing – that is an ever-present major worry. I used to boast I could do the job just as poorly as many other gaffers."

"I've learned a lot. I have had some great young coaches alongside me and it's been a refresh for me in many ways, interacting with young people every day."

A Potential Advisory Position?

Regarding whether he will stay with the club as an advisor, the former Leicester, Villa and Ireland boss says that is completely up to Nancy.

"That is solely for the incoming manager to make," O'Neill said. "He must be given free reign. If he wants my opinion on matters, that's fine. If he doesn't, that's not a problem at all. It becomes his team the minute he steps into the role."

Presenter the interviewer concluded by asking by asking O'Neill whether he might get emotional or sentimental when the final whistle blew in the Dundee game.

"Do you mean if I will cry?" O'Neill responded. "Please don't be silly."