Celtic FC Initiates Talks with Wilfried Nancy for Managerial Position

Celtic FC has officially contacted Columbus Crew about the potential hiring of Wilfried Nancy as their next manager, according to a source familiar with the developments who spoke to ESPN.

Nancy, 48, has reportedly been in discussions with Celtic for several weeks. However, the Scottish champions had not yet reached out to the Crew until now. The two parties are currently working to finalize an agreement, which appears to be favoring Nancy’s move to the Scottish Premiership.

Conversations are also underway regarding which members of Nancy’s coaching staff will accompany him to Glasgow.

Celtic has been without a permanent manager since Brendan Rodgers resigned on October 27 following a challenging start to the season. Since then, Martin O’Neill has taken on the role on an interim basis.

The Crew had previously engaged in discussions with Nancy about extending his contract, which is set to run through 2026, and making him the highest-paid manager in Major League Soccer (MLS). However, Nancy declined, citing his ambitions to manage abroad and expressing a reluctance to sign a longer-term deal.

Should the agreement with Celtic be finalized, Nancy would conclude a successful three-year tenure in Columbus, during which he led the team to victory in the MLS Cup in 2023 and the Leagues Cup in 2024. Following the latter win, he was recognized as the MLS Coach of the Year.

In addition to this accolade, Nancy has received commendations for implementing an appealing, possession-based style of play with a squad that, in 2025, ranked just outside the top third in terms of player salary expenditures.

Nancy previously enjoyed a fruitful tenure as the manager of CF Montréal from 2021-2022, where he secured the Canadian Championship in 2021. He ascended to that role after the unexpected resignation of Thierry Henry and had spent a decade with the club prior, working in their academy and as an assistant coach for the first team beginning in 2016. Nancy departed Montréal in December 2022 following a disagreement with owner Joey Saputo.

His playing career was modest, beginning at the fourth-tier club Toulon and later featuring for other lower league teams, including Beaucairois, Raon-l’Étape, Ivry, Noisy-le-Sec, Châtellerault, and Orléans.