Scottish Premiership giants Celtic have officially unveiled Wilfred Nancy as their new head coach, bringing the highly-rated Frenchman from Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew.
A New Era Begins at Celtic Park
The appointment was confirmed by the club just ahead of their William Hill Premiership match against Dundee on Wednesday, 3 December 2025. Nancy has put pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at Celtic Park until the summer of 2028, succeeding interim boss Martin O'Neill as the permanent replacement for Brendan Rodgers.
Nancy, who leaves his role in charge of the MLS side Columbus Crew, described the move as a "massive honour". In his first statement, he paid tribute to the work of O'Neill and first-team coach Shaun Maloney, calling their efforts "fantastic".
Nancy's Vision for Celtic
"Now it's up to me to carry on this great work and carry our great club forward and I can't wait to get going and become part of such a brilliant institution," Nancy declared. He went on to outline his understanding of the club's stature, stating, "Celtic is one of the world's proper football clubs, real atmosphere and heart and soul, real high standards and real demands, which I am ready for."
The new manager emphasised his awareness of the club's history and the expectations that come with the role. "I know what Celtic means to so many people and my number one aim will be simple - to give our fans a strong, exciting, attacking, winning football team they can be so proud of," he added, setting out a clear philosophy for his tenure.
Chief Executive Delighted with Appointment
Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson revealed that Nancy had been the club's primary target from the outset of their search. "We have been aware of Wilfried and his quality of work for some time - he was our number one candidate when we began the process of appointing a new manager and we are delighted that he has agreed to join the club," Nicholson said.
The swift and decisive move to secure Nancy signals Celtic's intent to build a new, dynamic chapter under a manager who has earned significant plaudits for his work in North America. All eyes will now be on his first team selection and how he implements his attacking vision in the Scottish Premiership.
