Celtic FC Pursues Wilfried Nancy as Next Manager

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

At 48 years old, Nancy has been in discussions with Celtic for several weeks. However, the Scottish champions had not made formal contact with the Crew until now. Reports indicate that both parties are working to finalize an agreement that appears to favor Nancy’s move to the Scottish Premiership.

There are also ongoing conversations regarding which members of Nancy’s 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 over the last few years about extending his contract, which currently runs through 2026, and potentially making him the highest-paid manager in Major League Soccer (MLS). However, Nancy opted against a longer-term deal, expressing his aspirations to manage overseas.

Should the deal with Celtic be concluded, it would mark the end of a highly successful three-year tenure for Nancy in Columbus, where he led the team to an MLS Cup victory in 2023 and a Leagues Cup triumph in 2024.

Following the latter victory, Nancy was honored as the MLS Coach of the Year. In addition to this accolade, he received praise for implementing an attractive, possession-based style of football, leading a team that, as of 2025, was just outside the top tier in spending on player salaries.

Nancy’s prior managerial experience includes a successful stint with CF Montréal from 2021 to 2022, during which he secured the Canadian Championship in 2021. He ascended to the managerial position following the unexpected resignation of Thierry Henry, having spent a decade with the club initially coaching in their academy and later serving as an assistant coach for the first team starting in 2016. He left Montréal in December 2022 after a falling out with owner Joey Saputo.

Before his managerial career, Nancy had a modest playing career that began with fourth-tier Toulon and included time at various lower league clubs such as Beaucairois, Raon-l’Étape, Ivry, Noisy-le-Sec, Châtellerault, and Orléans.