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Per the words of caretaker manager Martin O'Neill, Wilfried Nancy is expected to be on the Celtic touchline during Sunday's Scottish Premiership clash against Hearts.

The head coach has been part of advanced negotiations with the Glasgow club for nearly seven days and currently looks set to finalize an agreement.

O'Neill has served as caretaker manager for more than four weeks since the previous manager departed, notching six wins out of seven games, cutting into the lead at the top of the league table and guiding the Parkhead outfit to Premier Sports Cup place in the final.

The 73-year-old, who once coached the club between 2000 and 2005, had previously suggested he thought Sunday's trip to Hibernian – a 2-1 victory – was likely to be the last game in his second spell at the helm.

But, the interim boss disclosed he will oversee the team in Wednesday's league encounter against Dundee prior to Wilfried Nancy steps into the role.

"He's the individual who will be arriving," O'Neill said to TalkSport. "I believed my time was up on Sunday, however there remains paperwork still to be dealt with. The Dundee game is certainly my final game."

An Unusual Period

"This has been surreal," O'Neill continued. "It resembles a chapter of your life where you think 'did all of that really happen?' Am I pleased to have taken it on? Most certainly."

Should Celtic defeat Dundee and Hearts defeat Kilmarnock in midweek, the incoming boss could lead his new club to summit of the Premiership with a victory in his first match in charge.

"It's a decent start for him versus Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A good way to start. It is going to be a challenging fixture of course but I wish him all the best. At least he's getting a team with a bit of self-belief."

The team's morale is a result of the interim manager's results on the field in the last five weeks, a period where he suffered just one defeat – a 3-1 defeat away to Midtjylland during European competition.

However, the former Republic of Ireland manager along with his squad then bounced back to achieve their first victory on the road on the continent since 2021 as they beat the Dutch club 3-1 recently.

Rebuilding Belief

"We lost to them," O'Neill recalled. "That was a hard fixture – a few weeks earlier they mauled Nottingham Forest, making it a challenge. To travel to Feyenoord and secure a victory on their patch was terrific. We've given the team an opportunity, with three matches remaining to attempt qualification, however, the Feyenoord game helped restore confidence."

Thoughts on the Future

Upon being asked for his thoughts on his time as interim boss, O'Neill says it has prompted thoughts on if he would like to carry on in management in the future.

"I genuinely am unsure," he said. "I will have a wee think about things following the match on Wednesday."

"It wasn't easy," he added. "There was a fear of failure – that is an ever-present big concern. I once joked that I was capable of doing the job just as poorly as a lot of other gaffers."

"I have learned a lot. I have had some excellent coaching staff alongside me and it has served as a new lease on life for me in several respects, interacting with young people every day."

A Potential Advisory Position?

Regarding if he might remain with the club as an advisor, the former Leicester City, Aston Villa and Ireland boss says that is entirely up to Wilfried Nancy.

"That decision is really for Nancy to make," O'Neill stated. "He must be given free reign. If he wants my advice on things, that's fine. If not, that is perfectly fine at all. It becomes his squad the moment he steps into the job."

TalkSport host Jim White concluded by asking if O'Neill whether he might get emotional once the final whistle sounded on Wednesday.

"Do you mean am I going to cry?" O'Neill replied. "Please don't be ridiculous."