MLS return imminent? Wilfried Nancy rejects Ligue 1 offer

Former Columbus Crew and Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has reportedly rebuffed an approach from Le Havre amid persistent speculation that he could return to Major League Soccer.

The Frenchman has been out of a job since he was relieved of his duties by Celtic in January. The Scottish club had waited weeks to appoint him in late 2025, only to end up sacking him after 33 days. Nancy won only two of his eight games in charge, losing the other six.

The 49-year-old failed to command the respect of the Celtic squad, and his attempts at modernizing the club's managerial approach fell on deaf ears. The players weren't receptive to his methods, which ultimately made his position untenable.

The fact that he came over from the US also played a part. Speaking to the French press last month, Nancy noted that the negative perception of MLS in Europe gave him less margin for error because people questioned his coaching credentials.

"I knew from the start it was going to be like that," he explained. "People don't know much about MLS. I got questions where sometimes they thought I was just starting out."

In May, Nancy made it clear that he wanted to stay in Europe and preferably get a job in his native France: "Now, I want to come to Ligue 1, if there is an opportunity. I am not the one who decides, but I am ready."

This was also confirmed by Columbus Crew general manager Issa Tall when responding to suggestions that Nancy could make a return to the Ohio club, with whom he had won MLS Cup in 2024. "Last I remember, Wilfried has European aspirations," Tall said.

During the summer, Nancy was being linked with some jobs in France, most notably with Chelsea-owned Strasbourg, but he was ultimately overlooked. They may regret this now as they have endured a very difficult season to date.

According to Sacha Tavolieri, Nancy has just been offered the chance to take charge of his hometown club Le Havre, who are without a head coach after firing Didier Digard at the end of October. The 40-year-old did not win a single game in the opening weeks of the season.

Despite Nancy's connection to Le Havre and his desire to coach in Ligue 1, Tavolieri understands that the 49-year-old has turned down the offer. The journalist has not revealed why Nancy made this decision, although it isn't hard to see why he might not be keen.

Le Havre are rooted to the bottom of the table with two points from 10 games. They are already six points adrift of safety and need a minor miracle to stay in the league this season.

After his horror spell at Celtic, the last thing Nancy needs on his CV is a relegation, and the Frenchman has realised that taking charge of a team in the middle of the season is not ideal. Since his sacking, he has frequently reiterated that it was a mistake to take the job in December.

The news that Nancy has turned down a job in Ligue 1 will fuel the speculation that a return to MLS could be on the cards. The regular season concluded on Saturday, and numerous teams have fired their coaches.

The most concrete option for Nancy at this stage appears to be LAFC, who already pulled the trigger on manager Marc dos Santos at the end of September. Interim coach Xavi Tamarit has shown little to suggest that he should get the job permanently.

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— LAFC (@LAFC) October 1, 2026

Perhaps Nancy's stance on a return to MLS remains unchanged, but the LAFC gig will no doubt hold appeal by virtue of geographical position, resources and squad quality. It is also understood that the Frenchman would prefer a job in the West if he were to return stateside.

With LAFC having qualified for the playoffs, it is unlikely that they will announce their next coach anytime soon, so this Nancy speculation is unlikely to go away unless he gets a job elsewhere.

The upcoming calendar alignment with Europe could also work in favor of MLS clubs looking to bring Nancy back. Managers with ambitions of heading across the pond, like the 49-year-old, will no longer become free agents in the middle of the European season.

This would eradicate the difficult choice coaches have had to make of either abandoning their MLS team mid-season in the summer or departing in the offseason and arriving at their new clubs in December or January.

Following Saturday's Decision Day, New York City FC, Toronto FC and Sporting Kansas City all fired their head coaches. They, alongside LAFC, are unlikely to remain the only clubs with a coaching vacancy this offseason.

Over in the West, the LA Galaxy might part ways with Greg Vanney, while Orlando City, FC Cincinnati, Atlanta United and DC United from the East could also make a change.

The Philadelphia Union and Columbus Crew technically have vacancies, but both are expected to stick with their successful interim coaches, Ryan Richter and Laurent Courtois.