Celtic are closing in on their replacement to Brendan Rodgers.
Record Sport are reporting that Wilfried Nancy has held official talks with Celtic as the club look to finalise their new managerial appointment before Friday’s annual general meeting.
The Columbus Crew head coach, who has guided the MLS side to both the MLS Cup and Leagues Cup titles, reportedly kicked off discussions with Celtic chiefs on Friday night, with talks continuing over the weekend as both parties worked to iron out the final details of a deal.
Nancy has been Celtic’s top target since the departure of Brendan Rodgers, and the Hoops are confident of reaching an agreement soon. A compensation package worth up to £2 million is expected to be negotiated with Columbus once the terms of Nancy’s move are finalised.
Celtic are keen to have clarity on their managerial situation before the AGM later this week, with fans demanding transparency and a clear direction ahead of the crucial January transfer window.
Nancy, admired for his possession-based, attacking philosophy, has been a standout in North America, earning praise for transforming Columbus into one of the most entertaining sides in the MLS.
If the talks progress as planned, an official announcement could arrive before the weekend, marking a major step in Celtic’s rebuild following Rodgers’ exit.
Former Celtic defender Erik Sviatchenko plays in the MLS and has watched the manager’s sides in action.
He told CeltsAreHere:
“Yeah, I think definitely he would be a good fit.
“He’s one of the best coaches over here. Well respected.
“The type of football they play, Columbus Crew, is really, really good. They’re very possession-based. So Celtic will kind of enjoy that. Fans will enjoy that as well.
“So I don’t say that it’s a Brendan Rodgers kind of football, but it’s definitely a possession-based or some of the teams with the highest possessions in the league.
“But they have been successful. They’ve been really, really good.
“And he’s a great manager and I could see him definitely if he wanted to take the big step away from MLS and really play under pressure and needs to perform, I think that would be a great fit.
“But I saw there was several names linked, so he’s one of them, but I could definitely see him.”
It’s now closing in on three weeks since Brendan Rodgers left Celtic.
His resignation, late at night, came as a shock to many. But what followed was something no one could predict.
Dermot Desmond signed off a scathing statement on Celtic’s website, calling Rodgers for everything.
He claimed the manager’s “divisive” actions “fuelled hostility” toward the board and executive team.
Desmond put Celtic’s poor form down to “one individual’s desire for self-preservation”, and claimed that Rodgers was “contributing to a toxic atmosphere” at Celtic.
He had also said that there was a contract offer on the table over the summer months, but the gaffer was “divisive, misleading and self-serving”.
