Celtic FC Pursues Wilfried Nancy as Next Manager

omidbasir- Celtic FC has officially contacted 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.

Nancy, 48, has reportedly been in discussions with Celtic for several weeks; however, the reigning Scottish champions had not reached out to the Crew until now. The two sides are currently working to finalize an agreement that is leaning towards Nancy making a move to the Scottish Premiership, as noted by the source.

Additionally, there are ongoing conversations concerning 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. The Bhoys have been temporarily managed by Martin O’Neill since that time.

The Crew has had discussions with Nancy over the past few years about extending his contract, which is currently set to run through 2026, and potentially making him the highest-paid manager in Major League Soccer (MLS). However, Nancy declined these offers, expressing his desire not to sign a long-term deal and his aspirations to manage overseas.

If the deal with Celtic goes through, it would mark the conclusion of a highly successful three-year tenure for Nancy at Columbus. During his time, he led the team to victory in the MLS Cup in 2023 and the Leagues Cup in 2024, earning him the title of MLS Coach of the Year following the latter campaign.

In addition to this recognition, Nancy has been commended for implementing an attractive, possession-based style of football with a team that, in 2025, ranked just outside the top third in terms of spending on player salaries.

Nancy also enjoyed a successful period as manager of CF Montréal from 2021 to 2022, where he won the Canadian Championship in 2021. He ascended to that managerial position after the unexpected resignation of Thierry Henry, having spent a decade with Montreal in various coaching roles, including as an assistant to the first team beginning in 2016. Following a fallout with owner Joey Saputo, Nancy departed from Montreal in December 2022.

His playing career was modest, starting with fourth-tier Toulon, and he subsequently played for several lower league clubs, including Beaucairois, Raon-l’Étape, Ivry, Noisy-le-Sec, Châtellerault, and Orléans.