Celtic managerial flop puts strong case forward to ex Arsenal star as he eyes dugout return in familiar surroundings
The Frenchman spoke candidly last month about his failed move to Celtic as he eyes a return to management - five months on since leaving Parkhead
Former Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy has emerged as a leading contender to take charge of ambitious Ligue 1 outfit Lorient - with talks understood to be at an advanced stage.
The Frenchman has been out of work since his 33-day reign in Glasgow’s east end was brought to an abrupt end. During his month-long spell in the Parkhead hotseat, Celtic won just two matches out of eight he presided over.
Now eyeing a return to management after taking some time to reflect on his ill-fated stint with the Scottish champions, Nancy has been in dialogue with Lorient’s sporting director and former Arsenal defender Laurent Koscienly over a move to the Brittany-based club.
Lorient, who are owned by former Hibs shareholder Bill Foley and his Black Knight group, finished the 2025/26 season sitting comfortably in mid-table. However, they decided to part company with head coach Olivier Pantaloni.
Despite how his short Celtic stint materialised, Nancy’s stock remains high in his homeland. According to media outlet L’Equipe, the 49-year-old has put forward a strong case to be appointed as Lorient’s next permanent manager.
Ex-Southampton boss Will Still and English Premier League icon Patrick Viera have also been linked with the vacancy, but it’s claimed Nancy features at top of Koscienly and Foley’s wish list.
Nancy appointment could take ex-Hibs chief closer to fulfilling ambitious goal
Following the club’s swift promotion back to the French top-flight and an impressive top-half surge, American billionaire Foley outlined his desire for the Breton outfit to “take on the world” by turning them into a serious powerhouse on the world stage, earlier this year.
Appointing former Columbus Crew chief Nancy could be a key part of taking a step closer to fulfilling that ambition. Last month, Nancy spoke candidly on his failed move to Celtic by declaring that the timing was wrong.
He said: “On reflections, when I went there it was not a good moment. I knew it could be difficult regarding the schedule and injuries, so that’s why I put everything into perspective. Obviously, I didn.t have enough time to do things the way I do things, but I have no bad words about my time.
“It was a beautiful experience. I d my job with passion and I look for players with passion and this club the fans and the city we feel it, it’s been amazing for that. Obviously, things could have been better, but life it about moments.”
Foley and his investors also held minority stakes in Hibs between February 2024 and November 2025 before selling their stakes last year.
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