By Patrice Chitera BBC Sport, Kinshasa

The secretary general of the DR Congo's football association, Fecofa, Chiyoka Bashige has told BBC Sport that Frenchman Claude Leroy could be the country's new coach.

He said that Fecofa's executive committee has already held talks with the former Cameroon coach and that they are waiting for the government to release funds to bring him to Kinshasa.

The DR Congo are looking for a European coach to replace Englishman Mick Wadsworth, whose contract was not renewed following the side's exit from the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.

Bashige has also denied media reports that Christian Sengibiembi has been appointed as the Simbas' new assistant coach adding that the long-serving Mukeba Mulamba has returned to the post.

Bashige pointed out that the only reason that Mulamba was not with the side at the Cup of Nations in Tunisia was that he was sick.

He did admit that Fecofa have been in touch with Sengibiembi in Brussels, where he is currently living, but added nothing had been agreed with him.

Bashige says that confusion between the football association and the Ministry of Sports lead to both parties contacting Sengibiembi about the job of assistant coach sperately.

The secretary general said that it was the ministry who actually announced Sengibiembi as the new assistant coach, but that they have now withdrawn the statement.