“I needed time to assess the team and to evaluate,” Nancy’s reason for early Celtic arrival | OneFootball

Wilfried Nancy says the scheduling of his arrival at Celtic was designed to give him an early opportunity to evaluate his options ahead of the January transfer window…

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy reacts as he his team score their first goal during the Premier League match between Celtic and Aberdeen at Celtic Park on December 21, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

With the January market approaching, the Frenchman has now overseen five matches, allowing him to build a clearer picture of where reinforcements may be required. That assessment was helped by his first win in charge on Sunday afternoon, a much-needed 3–1 victory against a ten-man Aberdeen.

While acknowledging that a later start might have been personally more comfortable given the demanding fixture list, Nancy said the decision was made in the club’s best interests rather than his own.

Asked if he now has clarity on his priorities heading into January, he responded via Celtic’s official YouTube channel: “Yes, that’s why I came at this moment. I could have come a little bit later. But now, with the club, we decided that it was the moment because I needed time to assess the team and to evaluate. So if I was thinking about myself, maybe I could have been a little bit later.”

“But the timing is the timing. So that’s why I accept all the things that happened. This is new for me to have four losses. This is new for the players to have four losses.”

“Again, we have to go through that to see what we have to do. The character of the team, the personality of the team, the personality of the players, and so on, and so on, and so on.”

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy reacts during the Premier League match between Celtic and Aberdeen at Celtic Park on December 21, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“As I said, I analyse the team. After that, we’ll see what we need. And my first job is to analyse the players, what we have here. And after that, we’ll see who we’re going to bring, if we need to bring someone.”

Celtic now have a week to prepare for their away trip to bottom of the league Livingston as they try and build momentum heading into crucial matches against Motherwell at Fir Park and then theRangers at the start of next year.

Conor Spence

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