Standard must invest in new players, otherwise things risk going wrong again next year. But 777 Partners does not have the people of Liège as a priority. Sporting director Fergal Harkin revealed the transfer strategy of the Rouches.
Free players for Standard
That is highly remarkable. He countered La Dernière Heure very striking information. “We should not sell players because we are looking at players who are free,” is the very bizarre statement.
According to him, that search is not a problem. “Aiden O’Neill came to Standard on a free transfer and he is meeting expectations. A player is not necessarily at the end of his contract because he is less good. Sometimes it is for contractual reasons, because he was unable to reach an agreement achieve with his old club.”
777 Partners under fire
Yet this does not inspire much confidence. Standard needs a serious injection of quality. If that doesn’t happen, it will be a very tough season again. 777 Partners is temporarily using the club as a trading house (for the players of the other sister clubs) to put players in the spotlight.
In addition, wells are filled in, but nothing more. There are no structural investments that help Standard grow. The American owners clearly do not see the Liège club as a priority in their chain of teams.
This year the play-downs were narrowly avoided. With only free players, we don’t see them making much progress next season…
