Reports from France have shed light on the obstacles that have so far prevented Wilfried Nancy from taking over at Celtic. With the international break underway, this period would have been the ideal window to appoint a new manager, giving him time to settle into life at Parkhead and assess the squad up close.
Instead, with Wednesday’s announcement confirming that Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney will continue as interim managers until a permanent successor is appointed, doubts remain over how close the club actually are to finalising a deal.
Many supporters expected Nancy to have been unveiled by now, although plenty remain unconvinced that he is the right candidate in the first place. His continued absence has naturally sparked questions about whether negotiations have stalled or even fallen apart.
However, that does not appear to be the case—at least according to reports emerging from France. While discussions are said to be progressing well, one key stumbling block still needs to be resolved before Celtic can confirm Nancy as their new boss.
According to L’Equipe Nancy is currently in “advanced negotiations” with Celtic and could arrive as early as this week, provided a compensation fee is agreed with Columbus Crew. The MLS side are reportedly “open to his departure,” but only once the financial terms have been settled. Nancy still has one year left on his contract, which complicates matters.
The real reason Wilfried Nancy has not joined Celtic yet
Despite the delay, the expectation remains that Nancy is very likely to become the next Celtic manager. Various reports suggest that Columbus Crew are seeking a compensation fee in the region of £2 million—a significant amount, but well within Celtic’s financial capabilities.
If anything, the willingness to pay such a fee highlights just how serious Celtic are about bringing Nancy to Glasgow. The club appear convinced of his calibre and believe he is the right man to lead them forward.
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