LEAGUE DEFENDING champion Rayon Sports are in talks with Belgian coach Luc Eymael to replace Didier Gomes da Rosa, who resigned last week, Sunday Sport can exclusively reveal.

According to the Rayon chairman Theogene Ntampaka, the Nyanza-based team has started negotiations with Eymael to take over the vacant position of head coach.

Eymael, who has previously coached Vita Club of DRC and Kenya’s AFC Leopard is expected in the country to discuss the contract.

"Sure we are in talks with him and we are doing everything possible to send him an air ticket so he can come to Rwanda next week” Ntampaka told Sunday Sport yesterday.

There had been speculation regarding the next coach for the league champions, with names such as former Atraco coach, now at Sofapaka, Sam Timbe, former APR coach, now with Don Bosco FC of DRC Andy Mfutila, former Police coach Goran Kuponovic and another ex-APR coach Ernie Brandts, who was sacked by Yanga last month.

However, Ntampaka rubbished any links with those four men, insisting his team is only interested in one man, Eymael.

"We are in talks with Eymael and nobody else, I think those are just rumors. Many people have said a lot about the team’s search for a new coach, but as a chairman, I can confirm that we have not talked to anyone but Eymael,” he stated.

The Rayon boss maintained that they are working round the clock to get a new head coach in place before next month’s CAF Champions League preliminary round first leg clash against Congo’s AS Leopard.

Team manager Thierry Hitimana and assistant coache Billy Mbusa Kombi will be in charge of the team until a new head coach is found.

Gomes resigned on Monday citing unpaid salary arrears for the last three months and was scheduled to be unveiled as the new head coach of Cameroonian champions Coton Sport yesterday.

Meanwhile, Rayon Sports have signed Ugandan defender Jimmy Mukubya from SC Villa and free agent Nicholas Junior Mukimbiri from Belgium, both on two-year contracts.