Celtic are stepping up talks with Wilfried Nancy, manager of Columbus Crew, as they look to appoint him as Brendan Rodgers’s successor. The club informed the MLS side on Friday of their intention to negotiate, and compensation is not expected to be an obstacle. Nancy is said to be enthusiastic about the move.
Celtic hope to have the Frenchman in charge before next weekend’s trip to St Mirren, ending Martin O’Neill’s brief caretaker spell. Rodgers’s second spell in Glasgow ended acrimoniously in October, prompting major shareholder Dermot Desmond to seek a new long-term appointment.
Nancy, who previously coached Montreal, led Columbus Crew to seventh in the MLS Eastern Conference this season before losing to FC Cincinnati in the playoffs. He fits Celtic’s preference for a progressive coach willing to work within their structure and transfer model.
While Kieran McKenna was initially the frontrunner, Celtic did not approach Ipswich Town, and his high compensation clause proved a barrier. Robbie Keane and Kjetil Knutsen were also considered, but Celtic’s head of football operations, Paul Tisdale, identified Nancy as his top choice.
