Celtic are finally on the brink of confirming Wilfried Nancy as their new permanent manager. Record Sport says the French coach is due to arrive in Glasgow on Tuesday evening, drawing a line under a five-week search that has tested supporters’ patience and kept Martin O’Neill in charge longer than expected.
Nancy, who has been finalising paperwork with Celtic in recent days, is expected to be unveiled within the next forty-eight hours. The incoming boss could even be in the stands for Wednesday night’s match against Dundee at Celtic Park.
It will be the last game overseen by O’Neill, who confirmed earlier today that his interim spell will end after the Premiership fixture.
The Irishman delivered the clarity fans were waiting for when he faced the media. “You will be relieved to know that this is definitely it for tomorrow evening, so I have been assured of it by the board,” he said. The remark carried his trademark humour, and it underlined that the handover is imminent.
30th November 2025; Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland: Scottish Premiership Football, Hibernian versus Celtic; Celtic interim manager Martin ONeill
Wednesday night carries more weight than a routine midweek domestic game. Dundee’s visit is O’Neill’s final act, a chance for players and supporters to acknowledge the steadying job he and Shaun Maloney have done since stepping in.
Celtic have clawed their way back into the title race under his care. Performances have improved, and the dressing room has regained direction after a chaotic spell.
Wilfried Nancy Baptism of Fire
Nancy will inherit that platform, yet he will also walk straight into a demanding schedule. His baptism of fire begins on Sunday when Celtic face Hearts in a top-of-the-table clash at Parkhead.
It is a fixture that could flip the balance of the title race. Celtic can close the gap to the leaders and set the tone for December.
That match is only the start. Three days later Roma come to Glasgow in the Europa League. Celtic remain in the hunt to progress from the group, but they need a result against a high-calibre opponent.
It will give Nancy an immediate taste of the European intensity supporters expect the club to handle with greater conviction.
Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; CF Montreal coach Wilfried Nancy walks the sidelines during a game against the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium. Burt Granofsky/Cal Sport Media (Credit Image: © Burt Granofsky/CSM via ZUMA Press Wire)
Then comes Hampden. The League Cup final against St Mirren sits on the horizon. A trophy chance within Wilfried Nancy’s first fortnight shows both the scale of the challenge and the opportunity in front of him.
Celtic are still competing on all fronts. The squad depth and talent isn’t where it needs to be. What they need now is leadership, clarity, and momentum.
Nancy’s arrival ends weeks of uncertainty. The real work begins the moment he steps through the door.
This is a huge stretch of games with the potential to shape Celtic’s entire season. The new manager will not get the luxury of easing in. That might suit him. It certainly suits a support eager to see direction restored quickly.
