Nancy will take charge of Celtic this week - O'Neill

Wilfried Nancy will be in the Celtic dugout for Sunday's Scottish Premiership match against Hearts, according to interim manager Martin O'Neill.

The Columbus Crew head coach has been in advanced talks with the Glasgow club for almost a week and now appears close to finalising a deal.

O'Neill has been in caretaker charge for more than a month since Brendan Rodgers resigned and has since won six of seven matches, narrowing Hearts' lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership and guiding the Parkhead outfit to a Premier Sports Cup final spot.

The 73-year-old, who had previously managed the club between 2000 and 2005, had already said he expected Sunday's trip to Hibernian - which Celtic won 2-1 - to be the last of his second stint at the club.

However, O'Neill revealed he will manage Celtic for Wednesday's league match against Dundee before Nancy takes charge.

"He is the man that will be coming in," O'Neill told TalkSport.

"I thought it was over on Sunday, but there's some paperwork still to be dealt with. Wednesday will definitely be my final game.

"It's been surreal. It's like a part of your life where you think 'did that really happen?' Am I delighted that I've done it? Absolutely."

If Celtic beat Dundee and Hearts see off Kilmarnock on Wednesday, Nancy could take his new club top of the Premiership with a win in his first match in charge.

"It's a nice one for him [against Hearts], a nice introduction," O'Neill said. "It will be a difficult game of course and naturally I wish him well. At least he's getting a side with a bit of confidence."

That confidence stems from O'Neill's success on the field in the past five weeks, when he has lost only once - 3-1 at Midtjylland in the Europa League.

However, the former Republic of Ireland manager and his players were then able to bounce back and claim their first away win in Europe since 2021 as they beat Feyenoord 3-1 last week.

Celtic are 21st in the 36-team table with three matches left to play, against Roma, Bologna and Utrecht.

"We lost to Midtjylland," O'Neill said. "That was a tough game - a couple of weeks earlier they mauled Nottingham Forest, so that was difficult. To go to Feyenoord and win away from home was terrific.

"We've given ourselves a chance, there are three games left to try to qualify, but that [Feyenoord game] was a restoration of confidence."

Martin O'Neill has won all four of his league matches as interim manager

'Will I cry? Don't be stupid'

O'Neill was asked for his reflections during his spell as interim boss and says it has prompted thoughts about whether he would like to continue managing in the future.

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

"It wasn't easy. There was a fear of failure - that is always a big concern. I used to boast I could do the job equally as badly as a lot of other managers.

"I've learned a lot. I've got some great young coaches alongside me and it's been a reinvigoration of me in many ways, dealing with young people every day."

As to whether he will stay at Celtic in a consultancy role, the former Leicester City, Aston Villa and Republic of Ireland manager says that is entirely up to Nancy.

"That is really for the incoming manager to decide," O'Neill said.

"He should be given free rein. If he wants my opinion on things, that's fine. If he doesn't, that's not a problem at all.

"It's very much his team the minute he steps into the breach."

Talksport host Jim White ended the interview by asking O'Neill if he would be emotional when the full-time whistle blew on Wednesday.

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