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According to interim boss Martin O'Neill, the Columbus Crew head coach is slated to be leading Celtic for Sunday's Premiership match against Hearts.

The head coach has been involved in detailed discussions with the Parkhead side for almost a week and currently seems poised to complete a deal.

O'Neill has served as temporary gaffer for more than four weeks ever since Brendan Rodgers departed, notching six victories out of seven matches, narrowing Hearts' lead of the Scottish Premiership and guiding the team to League Cup place in the final.

The veteran manager, a former boss of Celtic from 2000 to 2005, had already indicated he believed Sunday's visit to Hibernian – a 2-1 victory – would be his final act in his second stint in charge.

Yet, O'Neill revealed he is to lead Celtic for Wednesday's Premiership match with Dens Park prior to Wilfried Nancy takes over.

"He's the man set to be arriving," stated O'Neill to TalkSport. "I believed my time was up last weekend, however there's some formalities still to be dealt with. The Dundee game will definitely be my final game."

An Unusual Period

"It has been like a dream," he added. "It feels like a chapter in one's life where you think 'did that really happen?' Am I delighted that I've done it? Absolutely."

If the Hoops beat Dundee while the Jambos overcome Kilmarnock on Wednesday, Nancy could potentially take his new club to summit of the Premiership if they win in his opening fixture as manager.

"That's a decent start for him against Hearts," O'Neill said. "A nice introduction. It will be a difficult game naturally but I wish him well. At the very least he inherits a side full of self-belief."

The team's morale stems from the interim manager's results during games in the last month or so, a period where he suffered just one defeat – a three-one defeat at the Danish side in the Europa League.

Nevertheless, the former Republic of Ireland national team boss and his players then bounced back to claim their first away win on the continent since 2021 as they beat Feyenoord 3-1 recently.

Rebuilding Belief

"We were defeated to them," O'Neill said. "That was a hard fixture – a few weeks earlier they thrashed Forest, so that was a challenge. To travel to Feyenoord and win away from home was excellent. We have given the team a chance, there are three games left to try to qualify, but that Feyenoord game was a restoration of belief."

Thoughts on the Future

When asked for his thoughts on his spell as interim boss, O'Neill says it has led to consideration on if he would like to carry on managing going forward.

"I genuinely don't know," he said. "I'll take a wee think about things following the match on Wednesday."

"It was challenging," he continued. "I felt the fear of failing – that is an ever-present major worry. I used to boast I could do the job equally as badly as a lot of other gaffers."

"I have learned a lot. I have had some great coaching staff working with me and it's been a refresh personally in several respects, dealing with young people every day."

A Potential Advisory Position?

Regarding whether he will stay with the club as an advisor, the ex- Leicester City, Aston Villa and Ireland boss says that is entirely up to Wilfried Nancy.

"That is really for the incoming manager to make," O'Neill said. "He should be given full autonomy. Should he desire my advice on matters, that is acceptable. If he doesn't, that is perfectly fine at all. It becomes his squad the moment he enters the job."

TalkSport host Jim White concluded by asking if O'Neill whether he might get emotional when the full-time whistle sounded in the Dundee game.

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