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According to caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy is slated to be on the Celtic touchline for Sunday's Scottish Premiership clash against Heart of Midlothian.

The head coach has been part of detailed discussions with the Parkhead side for nearly a week and currently seems poised to wrap up an agreement.

Martin O'Neill has served as interim boss for more than four weeks ever since Brendan Rodgers stepped down, securing six wins in seven games, cutting into Hearts' lead in the league table while also steering the team to League Cup place in the final.

The veteran manager, who previously managed Celtic from 2000 and 2005, had already indicated he believed Sunday's trip to Hibernian – a 2-1 victory – was likely to be the last game in his second stint at the helm.

But, O'Neill revealed he is to oversee Celtic for the midweek league encounter with Dens Park before Nancy assumes control.

"He is the person set to be coming in," stated O'Neill to the radio station. "I believed my time was up last weekend, but there's some formalities still to be sorted. The Dundee game 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 all of that actually occur?' Am I pleased to have taken it on? Most certainly."

Should the Hoops beat their opponents while the Jambos see off Killie in midweek, the incoming boss could potentially take his new club to summit of the Premiership if they win in his opening fixture as manager.

"It's a good fixture for him against Hearts," O'Neill said. "A gentle introduction. It will be a difficult game naturally but I wish him well. At the very least he takes over a side with a bit of confidence."

That confidence stems from the interim manager's results during games in the last five weeks, a period where he lost only once – a three-one defeat away to Midtjylland in the European competition.

Nevertheless, the ex- Irish manager along with his squad then bounced back to secure their first victory on the road in Europe since way back in 2021 with a win over Feyenoord 3-1 recently.

Restoration of Confidence

"We were defeated by them," O'Neill said. "That proved to be a hard fixture – a few weeks earlier they mauled Nottingham Forest, making it difficult. To go to Feyenoord and secure a victory away from home was excellent. We've given ourselves a chance, with three games left to attempt qualification, but that victory in Rotterdam was a restoration of belief."

Thoughts on the Future

Upon being asked for his thoughts on his spell as interim boss, O'Neill says it has prompted thoughts on if he would like to continue managing going forward.

"I genuinely don't know," he admitted. "I'll take a little think about things after Wednesday evening."

"It wasn't easy," he continued. "There was a fear of failure – which is an ever-present major worry. I once joked that I was capable of doing this job just as poorly as many other gaffers."

"I have learned a lot. I've got some great coaching staff alongside me and it's been a new lease on life for me in many ways, interacting with young people every day."

A Potential Advisory Position?

On the subject of whether he will stay with the club in a consultancy role, the former Leicester, Villa and Republic of Ireland manager says that is entirely the decision of Nancy.

"That decision is solely for the new boss to make," O'Neill stated. "He should be allowed his own space. Should he desire my advice on matters, that's fine. If not, that's not a problem at all. It becomes his team the moment he steps into the breach."

TalkSport host Jim White concluded by asking if O'Neill if he would be emotional when the final whistle blew on Wednesday.

"Do you mean if I will get tearful?" O'Neill replied. "Don't be ridiculous."