Martin O'Neill will continue as Celtic manager following their Premiership and Scottish Cup double in the 2025-26 season.
Martin O'Neill has agreed to stay on as Celtic manager after two brief interim roles last season ended with a historic domestic double. He first took charge temporarily in late October following Brendan Rodgers' departure, managing eight matches before Wilfried Nancy was appointed. Nancy's tenure lasted just eight games, producing only two wins amid six defeats, prompting another short-term appointment for O'Neill at the start of January. The club’s major shareholder, Dermot Desmond, held discussions with O'Neill earlier this week, and an agreement has now been reached for him to continue in the role.
Celtic secured the Premiership crown on the final day of the campaign with a 3-1 victory over Hearts, who had led the standings for much of the season. Two weeks later, O'Neill guided the team to a 3-1 win over Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish Cup final, marking his ninth trophy as Celtic boss. Across the entire 2025-26 season, he oversaw 35 games in all competitions, winning 27 and drawing four, boasting a league points average of 2.56 per game—a figure matching his record from 2000-05.
As Premiership winners, Celtic will enter the Champions League play-off round in the upcoming season, the stage they were eliminated at last term. Their Europa League group-stage run included four matches under O'Neill before a knockout exit against Stuttgart. Earlier in the season, Celtic defeated Rangers 3-1 in the League Cup semi-final at Hampden, though Nancy’s team suffered a 3-1 final loss to St Mirren the following month. O'Neill’s side also eliminated Rangers from the Scottish Cup at the quarter-final stage in March.
Former Celtic player Robbie Keane had been linked with the managerial vacancy and was recently reported to have left Ferencvaros. Danish coach Jens Berthel Askou was also a name floated for the position before his move from Motherwell to Toulouse. The club has not yet made an official announcement regarding O'Neill’s appointment, and discussions on his future are understood to have taken place behind closed doors.