If Celtic are looking to bring in a new manager soon, it would have been ideal to bring him in during this international break. It would have allowed the new boss some time to settle into his new surroundings and get a feel for what he is working with at Parkhead. But with yesterday's announcement that Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney will remain in interim charge until a permanent appointment is made, there are question marks over how close the Hoops are to getting a deal done.
Most had expected Nancy to have been appointed by now, although a large section of the fanbase is not convinced that he is the right man for the job. Now that he has not arrived yet, many are wondering if talks have stalled or even collapsed.
It does not look like either of those things have happened, if reports coming out of France are accurate. But a stumbling block remains if Celtic are to appoint Nancy as their new manager.
As reported by L'Equipe (via 67 Hail Hail), Nancy is in ‘advanced negotiations’ with the club. He could join this week if a compensation fee is agreed with Columbus Crew, with whom he still has one year remaining on his contract. The MLS club are ‘open to his departure’ as long as the fee is established.
Real reason Wilfried Nancy has not joined Celtic yet
Let's see what the future holds for Nancy. Even now, it is very likely that he is going to be the next Celtic manager.
Reports in the media have suggested that it would take a compensation fee around £2 million to convince Columbius Crew. That is a decent sum but nothing that Celtic could not afford.
It does show though that Celtic are quite serious about bringing in Nancy. They seem convinced about his quality.