The wait for Wilfried Nancy goes on at Celtic.
It was on Friday that the Columbus Crew boss was reported as ‘on the brink’ of landing the Celtic role, and Monday marked three weeks since the departure of Brendan Rodgers.
A Celtic statement has confirmed that Martin O’Neill will remain in charge until a permanent appointment is completed – but we still don’t know when that will be.
Nancy is seemingly still the front-runner, and there have been no reports in Scotland to indicate otherwise.
But what they’re saying in the USA could be a cause for concern.
Wilfried Nancy to Celtic update from Columbus
Nancy still has a year left on his contract at the MLS side, where he has won two trophies in three years.
If Celtic are to complete an agreement, they will need to sort out compensation as well as the plan for Nancy’s backroom staff.
READ MORE: Brendan Rodgers emerges as the ‘leading contender’ for Premier League hotseat after Celtic departure
According to Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch, the Crew’s stance on Nancy’s situation has not changed.
He claims that the Crew have still not been contacted by Celtic, despite reports to the contrary on this side of the water.
The post also says that Nancy and Columbus’ General Manager, Issa Tall, are continuing to plan for MLS next season.
Nancy’s season ended after Columbus’ defeat to local rivals FC Cincinnati in the MLS play-offs last weekend.
The information in Scotland has been that Dermot Desmond immediately reached out to him when Rodgers left and waited until their season ended to begin talks.
But with such clearly conflicting reports, it’s becoming a headache to keep track of.
Why are Celtic pursuing Wilfried Nancy?
Nancy wasn’t many people’s favourite for the role at Parkhead – initially, names such as Kieran McKenna and Kjetil Knutsen dominated the running.
But a crucial reason for the Frenchman’s candidacy is a pre-existing relationship between his assistant, Kwame Amapadu, and Celtic’s Head of Football Operations, Paul Tisdale.
Celtic have taken a gamble like this before, also bringing Ange Postecoglou to his first professional role in Europe.
And Nancy’s trophies and impressive brand of football have seemingly convinced Tisdale and Desmond that it’s time to roll the dice again.
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