Celtic FC Initiates Talks with Columbus Crew for Wilfried Nancy’s Appointment as Manager

omidbasir- Celtic FC has officially reached out to the Columbus Crew concerning the potential appointment of Wilfried Nancy as their next manager, according to a source familiar with the situation who spoke to ESPN.

Nancy, 48, has reportedly been in discussions with Celtic for several weeks; however, the Scottish champions had not previously contacted the Crew. This recent communication marks a significant step forward, with both parties working towards finalizing an agreement that appears to favor Nancy’s transition to the Scottish Premiership.

Moreover, ongoing discussions are 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. Martin O’Neill has been managing the team on an interim basis since then.

The Crew had previously engaged in talks with Nancy about extending his contract, which is currently set to run through 2026, with the intention of making him the highest-paid manager in Major League Soccer (MLS). However, Nancy declined the offer, expressing a desire not to commit to a longer-term deal, as he harbors ambitions to manage internationally.

Should the deal with Celtic be finalized, it would mark the conclusion of Nancy’s highly successful three-year tenure in Columbus, during which the team won the MLS Cup in 2023 and the Leagues Cup in 2024. Following the latter success, Nancy was honored as the MLS Coach of the Year.

In addition to this accolade, Nancy received commendation for implementing an attractive, possession-based style of play, despite having a team in 2025 that spent just outside the top third in player salaries.

Nancy previously enjoyed a successful stint as the manager of CF Montréal, where he served from 2021 to 2022, clinching the Canadian Championship in 2021. He rose to this position after the unexpected resignation of Thierry Henry, having spent a decade with the Montreal club, first in their academy and later as an assistant coach beginning in 2016. Nancy parted ways with Montréal in December 2022 following a disagreement with owner Joey Saputo.

In terms of his playing career, Nancy had modest beginnings, starting with the fourth-tier club Toulon and later playing for various lower league teams, including Beaucairois, Raon-l’Étape, Ivry, Noisy-le-Sec, Chatellerault, and Orleans.