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As stated by interim boss Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy is expected to be leading Celtic during this weekend's Premiership fixture against Hearts.

The manager has been involved in serious talks with Glasgow club for nearly seven days and currently appears ready to wrap up a deal.

O'Neill has been acting as temporary gaffer for over a month since the previous manager stepped down, achieving six victories out of seven games, reducing the lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership while also steering the team to Premier Sports Cup final spot.

The 73-year-old, who previously managed Celtic from 2000 and 2005, had previously suggested he believed Sunday's visit to Hibernian – which ended in a 2-1 win – was likely to be his final act of his second spell in charge.

Yet, O'Neill stated he will oversee the team in the midweek league encounter against Dundee prior to Wilfried Nancy assumes control.

"He is the person that will be coming in," O'Neill told TalkSport. "I believed it was over last weekend, however there remains formalities yet to be dealt with. Wednesday will assuredly be my final game."

A Surreal Spell

"It's been like a dream," he added. "It resembles a part in one's life where you think 'did that actually occur?' Am I delighted that I took the role? Absolutely."

If the Hoops beat their opponents and Hearts see off Kilmarnock in midweek, Nancy could potentially take Celtic to the top of the table with a victory in his debut game in charge.

"That's a good fixture for him versus Hearts," O'Neill said. "A nice introduction. It is going to be a difficult game naturally and good luck to him. At the very least he's getting a side with a bit of confidence."

This self-belief stems from the positive run on the field in the last month or so, a period where he suffered just one defeat – a 3-1 defeat away to the Danish side during European competition.

However, the ex- Republic of Ireland national team boss along with his squad then bounced back to achieve their first victory on the road on the continent since 2021 with a win over Feyenoord 3-1 recently.

A Confidence Boost

"We lost to them," O'Neill said. "That was a difficult match – a couple of weeks before they mauled Nottingham Forest, so that was a challenge. To travel to Feyenoord and win away from home was excellent. We've given the team an opportunity, with three matches remaining to attempt qualification, but that victory in Rotterdam was key for belief."

What Comes Next

Upon being asked for his reflections during his time as caretaker, O'Neill says it has prompted thoughts on if he would like to carry on managing in the future.

"I honestly don't know," he admitted. "I'll take a moment to reflect about things after the match on Wednesday."

"It was challenging," he continued. "There was a fear of failure – which is always a big concern. I used to boast I could do the job just as poorly as many other managers."

"I have learned much. I have had some excellent coaching staff alongside me and it's been a new lease on life for me in many ways, interacting with young people daily."

Consultancy Role?

On the subject of whether he will stay with the club as an advisor, the former Leicester, Aston Villa and Ireland manager stated this is entirely the decision of Nancy.

"That is really for the new boss to decide," O'Neill said. "He should be given free reign. If he wants my advice on matters, that's fine. If he doesn't, that's not a problem either. It's very much his squad the minute he steps into the breach."

TalkSport host the interviewer ended the interview by asking O'Neill if he would be emotional once the full-time whistle sounded in the Dundee game.

"Are you asking am I going to get tearful?" O'Neill replied. "Please don't be silly."