Celtic are accelerating negotiations to appoint Wilfried Nancy as their next manager, with the Columbus Crew boss emerging as the leading candidate to replace Brendan Rodgers.
The Scottish champions informed the MLS side on Friday of their intention to open formal talks, and compensation is not expected to be an obstacle. Nancy is understood to be keen on the move, and Celtic hope to have him in place before next weekend’s trip to St Mirren, ending Martin O’Neill’s brief caretaker spell.
Nancy, who previously managed Montreal, led Columbus to seventh in the MLS Eastern Conference this season before exiting in the first round of the playoffs. Though initially seen as an outsider, he fits Celtic’s model of a progressive coach willing to work within their transfer structure.
Kieran McKenna was once the favourite for the role but is unlikely to leave Ipswich Town, while Robbie Keane and Kjetil Knutsen were also considered. Celtic’s head of football operations, Paul Tisdale, is understood to have identified Nancy as his top choice.
