Celtic have held constructive talks with Robbie Keane over their managerial vacancy, with further discussions scheduled for this week as the club keeps moving on a search that is still not close to being finished. Dermot Desmond is due to speak with Martin O'Neill in the next 24 hours, leaving the interim boss firmly in the frame while the next decision takes shape.
That is why the Celtic Manager search is being watched so closely now: the club are actively pressing ahead after Brendan Rodgers resigned, and the next 24 hours could clarify whether O'Neill remains part of the answer or whether Celtic push harder for a younger appointment. O'Neill returned in two spells last term and delivered a domestic double in the last week of the season, which has kept open the possibility of a short-term arrangement if he wants to stay.
Keane is one of the names under serious consideration because his recent record is strong and recent. He left Ferencvaros last month after winning the Hungarian title and the Magyar Kupa, and before that he collected the Israeli Premier League and Toto Cup with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2024. If he were given the job at Celtic, he is believed to want Stephen Glass, Scott Brown and Jonny Hayes in his backroom staff.
There is still friction in the process. Celtic would like to speak to Craig Bellamy, but Bellamy reiterated his commitment to Wales in a press conference on Monday and is preparing to lead them to Euro 2028. He had already ruled out a move to take charge of Wales through the World Cup play-offs in March, which leaves Celtic weighing up whether a target they want to sound out is actually available.
If O'Neill does not want the job permanently, Celtic are open to discussing a role in football operations or an advisory and consultancy position. That makes the next round of conversations decisive, because the club are not only choosing between candidates but also deciding whether their interim manager stays on in some form while the search goes on. For now, Keane remains in active talks, O'Neill is due to speak with Desmond, and Bellamy is still being monitored from a distance.
