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According to caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy will be on the Celtic touchline for Sunday's Scottish Premiership clash versus Hearts.

The manager has been part of advanced negotiations with Glasgow club for almost seven days and now looks set to wrap up a contract.

Martin O'Neill has served as interim boss for more than four weeks ever since Brendan Rodgers stepped down, achieving six wins in seven games, cutting into Hearts' lead in the league table and guiding the team to a League Cup final spot.

The veteran manager, a former boss of the club between 2000 and 2005, had already said he thought the visit to Hibernian – a 2-1 victory – would be the last game in his return in charge.

However, O'Neill revealed he will oversee the team in Wednesday's Premiership match with Dens Park prior to Nancy assumes control.

"He's the man that will be arriving," O'Neill told the radio station. "I thought my time was up on Sunday, however there's some paperwork yet to be sorted. The Dundee game is certainly the end for me."

An Unusual Period

"It has been surreal," O'Neill continued. "It feels like a part of your life that makes you wonder 'did all of that actually occur?' Am I pleased to have taken it on? Absolutely."

If Celtic defeat Dundee while the Jambos see off Kilmarnock on Wednesday, Nancy could lead his new club to the top of the table with a victory during his opening fixture as manager.

"That's a decent start for Nancy versus Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A gentle introduction. It will be a tough match naturally and good luck to him. At least he's getting a side with a bit of confidence."

This self-belief is a result of the positive run during games in the last month or so, a period where he suffered just one defeat – a three-one loss away to the Danish side in the European competition.

Nevertheless, the ex- Irish manager along with his squad subsequently managed to claim their first away win in Europe since 2021 as they beat the Dutch club 3-1 last week.

Restoration of Confidence

"We were defeated by them," O'Neill recalled. "That was a hard fixture – a couple of weeks earlier they thrashed Nottingham Forest, so that was a challenge. To travel to Feyenoord and win on their patch was terrific. We've given the team an opportunity, there are three games remaining to try to qualify, but that victory in Rotterdam helped restore belief."

What Comes Next

When asked for his thoughts during his spell as interim boss, O'Neill says it has led to thoughts on if he would like to carry on managing going forward.

"I honestly am unsure," he said. "I'll take a little think on everything after the match on Wednesday."

"It wasn't easy," he added. "There was the fear of failing – that is an ever-present big concern. I used to boast I could do the job just as poorly as many other managers."

"I have learned a lot. I've got some great coaching staff working with me and it's been a reinvigoration for me in several respects, working with young people daily."

Consultancy Role?

Regarding if he might remain at Celtic in a consultancy role, the ex- Leicester City, Aston Villa and Republic of Ireland boss says that is entirely the decision of Nancy.

"That decision is really for the incoming manager to decide," O'Neill said. "He must be given full autonomy. If he wants my opinion on things, that's fine. If he doesn't, that is okay at all. It becomes his team the minute he enters the breach."

TalkSport host Jim White ended the interview if O'Neill whether he might get emotional or sentimental once the full-time whistle blew in the Dundee game.

"Do you mean am I going to get tearful?" O'Neill replied. "Please don't be stupid."