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According to interim boss Martin O'Neill, the Columbus Crew head coach is expected to be on the Celtic touchline for Sunday's Premiership match against Heart of Midlothian.

Columbus Crew's manager has been engaged in serious talks with the Glasgow club for nearly a week and now appears ready to complete an agreement.

Martin O'Neill has been acting as interim boss for more than a month since Brendan Rodgers departed, notching six wins out of seven games, narrowing Hearts' lead in the league table while also steering the Parkhead outfit to a League Cup final spot.

The veteran manager, who once coached Celtic from 2000 to 2005, had previously suggested he expected the visit to Easter Road – which ended in a 2-1 win – would be the last game in his return at the helm.

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

"He is the individual that will be coming in," stated O'Neill to the radio station. "I thought my time was up last weekend, however there's some paperwork yet to be dealt with. Wednesday will definitely be my last match."

A Surreal Spell

"It has been unreal," he added. "It resembles a chapter of your life where you think 'did that really happen?' Am I pleased to have taken it on? Absolutely."

If the Hoops defeat their opponents and Hearts defeat Kilmarnock on Wednesday, the incoming boss could potentially take Celtic to summit of the table with a victory during his debut game in charge.

"That's a good fixture for Nancy against Hearts," O'Neill said. "A gentle introduction. It will be a challenging fixture of course but I wish him all the best. At the very least he takes over a side full of self-belief."

The team's morale is a result of the positive run in matches over the past month or so, a period where he lost only once – a 3-1 loss away to the Danish side in the Europa League.

However, the ex- Irish national team boss and his players then bounced back to claim a first victory on the road in Europe since way back in 2021 as they beat the Dutch club 3-1 last week.

Rebuilding Belief

"We were defeated by Midtjylland," O'Neill recalled. "That was a tough game – a couple of weeks before they thrashed Forest, so that was difficult. To go to Feyenoord and win on their patch was fantastic. We have given the team a chance, with three games left to try to qualify, but that victory in Rotterdam was key for confidence."

What Comes Next

When asked for his thoughts during his spell as interim boss, O'Neill stated it has led to consideration on if he desires to carry on in management in the future.

"I genuinely am unsure," he said. "I'll take a moment to reflect about things following the match on Wednesday."

"It wasn't easy," he added. "There was a fear of failure – which is always a big concern. I used to boast that I was capable of doing this job equally as badly as many other managers."

"I have learned much. I've got some great young coaches alongside me and it has served as a refresh for me in many ways, dealing with young people daily."

A Potential Advisory Position?

Regarding whether he will stay at Celtic as an advisor, the ex- Leicester, Villa and Ireland manager says that is completely up to Wilfried Nancy.

"That decision is really for Nancy to decide," O'Neill said. "He must be given full autonomy. Should he desire my advice on things, that is acceptable. If he doesn't, that is perfectly fine either. It becomes his squad the moment he steps into the job."

TalkSport host the interviewer ended the interview by asking O'Neill if he would be emotional once the full-time whistle sounded in the Dundee game.

"Are you asking if I will get tearful?" O'Neill responded. "Please don't be stupid."