Former Rwanda head coach Johnny McKinstry is set to be appointed as the new head coach of the Gambian senior national team.

The Irish gaffer is currently coaching Kenya Premier League leaders Gor Mahia with his contract set to expire in September 2024 but talks are at an advanced stage and he will leave Kenya in June to lead the Scorpions during the forthcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Seychelles and Gabon.

" It is 90 percent done, McKinstry will be the next head coach of the Gambia. We have had fruitful talks with him and Gor Mahia. His contract was to expire in September but we shall pay the club the remaining three months to get him," a close source within the Gambian FA told Times Sport.

"He is expected in Banjul next week to finalize the contract terms. He has rich experience having coach Rwanda, Kenya, as well as Sierra Leone and we are pretty sure he can help us."

McKinstry, 38, will replace Belgian coach Tom Saintfieit who left the Gambian job in February after qualifying them to two successive AFCON tournaments in 2022 and 2024.

The young Irish trainer was the head coach of Amavubi from 2015 to 2016. He also coached clubs in Lithuania and Bangladesh.

Gambia will lock horns with Seychelles on June 3before taking on Gabon on June 10 in their 2026 World Cup qualifiers.