Wilfried Nancy in Advanced Talks to Become Celtic Manager

Wilfried Nancy has achieved notable success in Major League Soccer but has yet to manage in Europe.

According to BBC Scotland, Nancy is on the verge of being appointed as the new manager of Celtic Football Club. Discussions between the Scottish champions and the French head coach of Columbus Crew have reached an advanced stage.

Celtic has been in search of a new manager since Brendan Rodgers’ resignation last month. During this interim period, former manager Martin O’Neill, alongside assistant Shaun Maloney, has overseen the team’s last five matches, securing victories in four domestic fixtures, though they suffered a defeat against Midtjylland in the Europa League.

Currently, Celtic trails Hearts by four points at the top of the Scottish Premiership, although they have a game in hand. The team is set to visit Feyenoord for their fifth Europa League match on Thursday, having accrued four points so far. Additionally, Celtic will defend the Premier Sports Cup in a final against St Mirren next month, following their recent 1-0 victory against the same side.

If Nancy’s appointment is confirmed, he will step into his role amid existing tensions between the club and its supporters. Last week, Celtic’s annual meeting faced disruption when shareholders reacted negatively to comments made by Ross Desmond, the son of major shareholder Dermot Desmond, and voiced calls to “sack the board.”

Following Saturday’s win in Paisley, O’Neill emphasized the need for “some sort of unification” within the club, as fans expressed their desire for changes in club management.

Nancy began his professional career in France, playing for teams such as Toulon before transitioning into coaching in Canada. After Thierry Henry’s departure from CF Montreal in 2021, Nancy took the helm and successfully led the team to victory in the Canadian Championship later that year.

In 2022, he moved to Columbus Crew, guiding the team to an MLS Cup victory in 2023 and winning the Leagues Cup the previous year, earning accolades as MLS Coach of the Year. However, this season saw the Crew finish seventh in the Eastern Conference and twelfth overall.

Overall, Nancy has managed 215 games in North America, and a move to Celtic would mark his inaugural managerial role in Europe.