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According to interim boss Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy will be leading Celtic during this weekend's Premiership match against Hearts.

Columbus Crew's manager has been part of serious talks with the Parkhead side for almost a week and now seems poised to finalize a deal.

O'Neill has held the role of interim boss for over a month ever since Brendan Rodgers departed, securing six victories out of seven matches, reducing Hearts' lead of the Scottish Premiership and guiding the team to a Premier Sports Cup final spot.

The veteran manager, who previously managed the club from 2000 and 2005, had already indicated he believed Sunday's trip to Hibernian – a 2-1 victory – was likely to be the last game in his second spell at the helm.

Yet, O'Neill stated he will manage the team in the midweek league encounter against Dens Park before Nancy assumes control.

"He's the man set to be taking over," O'Neill said to TalkSport. "I believed my time was up on Sunday, however there's some paperwork yet to be dealt with. The Dundee game is certainly my final game."

An Unusual Period

"This has been like a dream," he added. "It's like a chapter in one's life that makes you wonder 'did all of that actually occur?' Am I pleased to have taken it on? Without a doubt."

Should the Hoops defeat their opponents while Hearts defeat Killie on Wednesday, the incoming boss could lead Celtic to summit of the table with a victory in his debut game as manager.

"It's a nice one for Nancy against Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A gentle introduction. It is going to be a tough match naturally but I wish him all the best. At least he's getting a side full of confidence."

That confidence is a result of the positive run in matches over the past month or so, where he has suffered just one defeat – a three-one defeat away to the Danish side in the Europa League.

However, the ex- Irish national team boss and his players subsequently managed to claim a first away win in Europe since way back in 2021 by defeating Feyenoord 3-1 last week.

Restoration of Confidence

"We were defeated to Midtjylland," O'Neill said. "That proved to be a difficult match – a few weeks earlier they mauled Nottingham Forest, making it a challenge. To travel to Feyenoord and secure a victory on their patch was fantastic. We've given the team an opportunity, with three games remaining to try to qualify, but that victory in Rotterdam helped restore belief."

What Comes Next

When asked for his reflections during his time as interim boss, O'Neill stated it has led to consideration on if he would like to carry on in management in the future.

"I genuinely am unsure," he said. "I'll take a moment to reflect on everything after the match on Wednesday."

"It wasn't easy," he continued. "I felt a fear of failure – which is always a big concern. I once joked I could do the job just as poorly as a lot of other managers."

"I've learned much. I've got some excellent young coaches alongside me and it's been a refresh for me in many ways, dealing with young players daily."

A Potential Advisory Position?

Regarding if he might remain at Celtic as an advisor, the ex- Leicester, Aston Villa and Republic of Ireland manager says that is entirely the decision of Nancy.

"That is really for the new boss to decide," O'Neill stated. "He must be allowed his own space. If he wants my opinion on things, that is acceptable. If he doesn't, that's not a problem at all. It becomes his team the moment he enters the job."

TalkSport host Jim White ended the interview by asking O'Neill if he would be emotional or sentimental when the final whistle blew in the Dundee game.

"Do you mean if I will get tearful?" O'Neill replied. "Please don't be stupid."