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Per the words of interim boss Martin O'Neill, the Columbus Crew head coach is expected to be leading Celtic for Sunday's Premiership clash versus Heart of Midlothian.

The manager has been engaged in advanced negotiations with the Glasgow club for nearly seven days and now seems poised to wrap up an agreement.

O'Neill has held the role of caretaker manager for more than four weeks ever since Brendan Rodgers resigned, securing six wins in seven matches, reducing Hearts' lead in the Scottish Premiership and guiding the Parkhead outfit to League Cup final spot.

The 73-year-old, who previously managed the club between 2000 and 2005, had already indicated he thought Sunday's visit to Hibernian – which ended in a 2-1 win – was likely to be his final act in his return in charge.

But, O'Neill stated he will lead Celtic for Wednesday's league encounter with Dundee before Nancy takes over.

"He's the person set to be arriving," O'Neill told the radio station. "I thought my time was up last weekend, however there remains formalities yet to be dealt with. Wednesday is certainly my final game."

An Unusual Period

"It has been like a dream," O'Neill continued. "It feels like a part in one's life that makes you wonder 'did all of that really happen?' Am I pleased that I took the role? Absolutely."

If Celtic beat Dundee and the Jambos defeat Kilmarnock on Wednesday, the incoming boss could lead Celtic to summit of the table if they win during his first match in charge.

"That's a nice one for Nancy versus Hearts," remarked O'Neill. "A nice introduction. It will be a tough match of course but I wish him well. At the very least he takes over a side with some confidence."

That confidence is a result of O'Neill's success in matches over the past five weeks, a period where he suffered just one defeat – a three-one loss at Midtjylland in the Europa League.

However, the former Republic of Ireland manager and his players then bounced back to achieve a first victory on the road in Europe since way back in 2021 by defeating the Dutch club 3-1 last week.

Rebuilding Belief

"We lost by Midtjylland," O'Neill recalled. "That was a hard fixture – a couple of weeks earlier they thrashed Nottingham Forest, making it difficult. To go to De Kuip and win on their patch was fantastic. We've given the team a chance, with three games left to try to qualify, but that Feyenoord game was key for confidence."

Thoughts on the Future

Upon being asked for his reflections on his time as interim boss, O'Neill stated it has prompted thoughts about whether he desires to continue managing going forward.

"I honestly am unsure," he said. "I will have a moment to reflect on everything following Wednesday evening."

"It was challenging," he added. "I felt a fear of failure – that is always a major worry. I used to boast I could do this job just as poorly as a lot of other managers."

"I've learned much. I've got some excellent young coaches working with me and it has served as a refresh for me in several respects, working 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 City, Aston Villa and Ireland manager says that is completely the decision of Wilfried Nancy.

"That is really for the incoming manager to make," O'Neill said. "He should be given full autonomy. If he wants my opinion on things, that's fine. If he doesn't, that's not a problem either. It's very much his squad the moment he enters the breach."

Presenter Jim White ended the interview by asking O'Neill whether he might get emotional when the final whistle sounded in the Dundee game.

"Are you asking if I will cry?" O'Neill responded. "Don't be ridiculous."