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Per the words of interim boss Martin O'Neill, the Columbus Crew head coach will be on the Celtic touchline during this weekend's Premiership fixture against Hearts.

The manager has been involved in detailed discussions with Glasgow club for almost seven days and currently appears ready to wrap up an agreement.

O'Neill has served as caretaker manager for more than a month ever since the previous manager stepped down, securing six victories in seven games, cutting into Hearts' lead of the league table and guiding the Parkhead outfit to a Premier Sports Cup place in the final.

The 73-year-old, who previously managed Celtic from 2000 and 2005, had already said he thought the trip to Easter Road – which ended in a 2-1 win – would be the last game in his second spell at the helm.

But, O'Neill revealed he will lead Celtic in the midweek league encounter with Dens Park prior to Wilfried Nancy assumes control.

"He's the person that will be taking over," stated O'Neill to TalkSport. "I assumed my time was up last weekend, however there's some paperwork still to be completed. Wednesday will definitely be my final game."

A Bizarre Experience

"It's been surreal," he added. "It feels like a chapter in one's life that makes you wonder 'did all of that really happen?' Am I delighted that I took the role? Most certainly."

If Celtic beat their opponents while the Jambos defeat Kilmarnock in midweek, Nancy could lead Celtic to the top of the table with a victory in his first match in charge.

"That's a decent start for him versus Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A nice introduction. It is going to be a challenging fixture of course and I wish him well. At least he's getting a team with a bit of confidence."

That confidence stems from the interim manager's results on the field over the past five weeks, a period where he suffered just one defeat – a three-one defeat at the Danish side in the Europa League.

However, the ex- Irish manager and his players then bounced back to claim a first away win in Europe since 2021 with a win over the Dutch club 3-1 last week.

A Confidence Boost

"We were defeated to Midtjylland," O'Neill said. "That proved to be a hard fixture – a couple of weeks before they thrashed Nottingham Forest, so that was difficult. To go to De Kuip and secure a victory on their patch was fantastic. We have given the team a chance, with three games left to attempt qualification, however, the victory in Rotterdam was a restoration of belief."

Thoughts on the Future

Upon being asked for his thoughts on his time as caretaker, O'Neill stated it has led to consideration about whether he would like to continue in management in the future.

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

"It was challenging," he added. "There was apprehension about failing – that is an ever-present major worry. I once joked I could do the job just as poorly as many other gaffers."

"I have learned a lot. I've got some great coaching staff working with me and it has served as a new lease on life personally in many ways, working with young players every day."

Consultancy Role?

Regarding if he might remain at Celtic in a consultancy role, the former Leicester City, Aston Villa and Republic of Ireland boss stated this is entirely up to Wilfried Nancy.

"That decision is really for the incoming manager to decide," O'Neill said. "He must be allowed his own space. Should he desire my input on things, that's fine. If not, that's not a problem either. It's very much his squad the moment he enters the breach."

TalkSport host Jim White concluded by asking if O'Neill if he would be emotional or sentimental once the final whistle sounded on Wednesday.

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