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According to interim boss Martin O'Neill, the Columbus Crew head coach will be in the Celtic dugout for Sunday's Premiership fixture against Hearts.

Columbus Crew's head coach has been part of advanced negotiations with Parkhead side for almost a week and now seems poised to complete a deal.

Martin O'Neill has been acting as temporary gaffer for more than four weeks since Brendan Rodgers resigned, securing six wins in seven games, cutting into the lead at the top in the league table while also steering the Parkhead outfit to a Premier Sports Cup place in the final.

The 73-year-old, who once coached the club from 2000 to 2005, had previously suggested he thought the match at Easter Road – which ended in a 2-1 win – would be the last game of his second spell in charge.

But, O'Neill revealed he will manage Celtic for the midweek Premiership match against Dundee prior to Nancy takes over.

"He is the person set to be coming in," O'Neill told TalkSport. "I assumed my time was up last weekend, however there's some paperwork yet to be dealt with. The Dundee game is certainly my final game."

A Surreal Spell

"It has been unreal," he added. "It resembles a chapter of your life where you think 'did all of that actually occur?' Am I delighted to have taken it on? Most certainly."

Should Celtic defeat Dundee while the Jambos see off Kilmarnock in midweek, Nancy could potentially take his new club to the top of the Premiership with a victory during his opening fixture in charge.

"That's a decent start for him against Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A nice introduction. It is going to be a challenging fixture naturally but good luck to him. At the very least he takes over a team with a bit of self-belief."

The team's morale is a result of O'Neill's success on the field in the last month or so, a period where he suffered just one defeat – a three-one defeat away to the Danish side in the Europa League.

However, the former Republic of Ireland manager and his players were then able to secure their first victory on the road in Europe since 2021 with a win over the Dutch club 3-1 last week.

Restoration of Confidence

"We were defeated by them," O'Neill said. "That proved to be a tough game – a couple of weeks before they defeated Nottingham Forest, so that was a challenge. To go to De Kuip and win away from home was excellent. We've given ourselves a chance, there are three games remaining to try to qualify, however, the Feyenoord game helped restore confidence."

What Comes Next

When asked for his thoughts on his time as interim boss, O'Neill says it has led to thoughts on if he desires to continue in management going forward.

"I honestly don't know," he admitted. "I will have a little think on everything following the match on Wednesday."

"It was not simple," he added. "I felt apprehension about failing – that is always a big concern. I used to boast I could do this job equally as badly as a lot of other gaffers."

"I've learned a lot. I've got some excellent young coaches working with me and it has served as a new lease on life personally in many ways, dealing with young people daily."

A Potential Advisory Position?

On the subject of if he might remain at Celtic as an advisor, the ex- Leicester, Villa and Ireland boss says that is entirely the decision of Wilfried Nancy.

"That is really for the new boss to decide," O'Neill stated. "He should be allowed his own space. Should he desire my opinion on matters, that's fine. If he doesn't, that's not a problem either. It becomes his squad the minute he enters the role."

Presenter Jim White ended the interview if O'Neill if he would be emotional once the final whistle blew in the Dundee game.

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