Everton situation forms another dark cloud over Standard Liege ahead of key summer rebuild under 777

The revelations that 777 Partners have been served 16 lawsuits has come as yet another blow to the fans of Standard Liege. 777 acquired the club two seasons ago, a welcome change of ownership after years of financial mismanagement. However, they were not the Knight in Shining Armour that Standard fans had hoped. Instead, the side has witnessed multiple transfer bans, player paid late and a lack of investment in a playing squad that has seen them wallowing in the lower parts of the table. For a side that has a history of competing for domestic trophies and playing in Europe, this has been a bitter pill to swallow.

The summer of 2024 is crucial for the club if it has any ambitions of being a top Belgian side next season. The playing squad needs a complete overhaul, with fresh hungry players who want to play for the club required. Ivan Leko is an experienced head coach who knows what needs to be done to be successful in the Pro League, but he cannot do that with what he currently has. These revelations by the Athletic about the prospective Everton owners suggest that any chance of a drastic improvement in the squad seems unlikely. The group, which also owns Genoa in Serie A, has been interested in acquiring Everton for some time now. While the Toffee’s have been struggling, they could perhaps look at the experience of fans in Liege to see that having 777 would not fix much.

Standard have one of the most passionate fan bases in the Belgian football scene, and they have let their frustration with the owners show multiple times this season through banners. It appears now that their best hope of returning to the top of Belgian football is for new ownership.