Celtic FC Pursues Wilfried Nancy as Next Manager

omidbasir- Celtic FC has officially initiated contact with the Columbus Crew concerning the possible appointment of Wilfried Nancy as their next manager, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Nancy, 48, has reportedly been in negotiations with Celtic for several weeks. However, this marks the first formal outreach to the Crew. Discussions are now underway to finalize an agreement that appears to be moving towards Nancy’s transition to the Scottish Premiership, as stated by the source.

Negotiations are also ongoing regarding which members of Nancy’s staff will accompany him to Glasgow.

Celtic has been without a permanent manager since Brendan Rogers resigned on October 27, following a challenging start to the season. Since then, the team has been under the temporary management of Martin O’Neill.

The Crew has engaged in discussions with Nancy over the past few years regarding contract extension opportunities, with the intention of making him the highest-paid manager in Major League Soccer (MLS). Nevertheless, Nancy has expressed his reluctance to commit to a longer-term agreement, citing his aspirations to manage abroad.

Should the arrangement with Celtic be finalized, it would conclude a successful three-year tenure for Nancy in Columbus, during which the team secured the MLS Cup in 2023 and the Leagues Cup in 2024.

Following the latter achievement, Nancy was honored as the MLS Coach of the Year.

In addition to this accolade, he has been recognized for implementing an attractive, possession-based style of football with a Crew squad that, in 2025, was positioned just outside the top third in terms of player salary expenditure.

Nancy previously enjoyed a successful tenure as the manager of CF Montréal from 2021 to 2022, where he led the team to victory in the Canadian Championship in 2021. His rise to that role came after the unexpected resignation of Thierry Henry, and prior to his managerial position, he dedicated a decade to the Montreal organization, progressing from coaching in their academy to joining the first team as an assistant in 2016. Nancy departed the Montreal club in December 2022 following a dispute with owner Joey Saputo.

His playing career was modest, beginning with fourth-tier Toulon and including stints at various lower league clubs such as Beaucairois, Raon-l’Etape, Ivry, Noisy-le-Sec, Chatellerault, and Orleans.