Hibs shareholder Bill Foley has been linked with buying Belgian top-flight side Standard Liège, according to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri. 

The Bournemouth owner has long been keen to add a team from Belgium to his stable and had varying levels of interest in Sporting Charleroi, KV Oostende - who currently have Hibs midfielder Ewan Henderson on loan - and Gent, but he could be set to offer Les Rouches new ownership, with Tavolieri reporting that Josh Wander, one of two co-founders and managing partners of owners 777 Partners, has already discussed a potential sale of Standard with Foley and other interested parties. 

The Miami-based private investment firm, who last month were described as a 'crumbling house of cards' in a lawsuit filed in New York, are also said to have received offers for another of their clubs, French side Red Star.

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Standard have been part of the group's portfolio since March 2022, which also includes Serie A side Genoa in Italy and CR Vasco da Gama of Brazil. 777 is still attempting to close a deal to buy English Premier League side Everton. An agreement was struck with current Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri around eight months ago but the company, which has been dogged by a number of legal challenges in the USA along with recent financial difficulties, has been unable to get the deal over the line and just last week asked for more time to finalise the takeover. 

Standard have not had a vintage campaign, finishing tenth in the regular season to qualify for the Conference League Play-off Group, where they are currently fourth out of six and in action against bottom side Westerlo at the weekend. Belgian publication Sudinfo said in a recent article that in its 125th anniversary year, the club was 'grimace soup' behind the scenes, which speaks for itself.

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Supporters held protests in September at what they felt was a lack of investment and ambition from the ownership and the club was then subjected to a transfer embargo in December last year for unspecified late payments. Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden claimed in an interview with Tavolieri that the main reason for his loan spell at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne being cut short was due to late payments. Fans of Hertha BSC, in whom 777 acquired a 64.7 per cent stake in 2023 before their relegation from the Bundesliga, also protested against 777's ownership last September.

Speaking at the end of 2022, Foley told The Athletic that his plans for a multi-club model centred on a desire to 'develop players in other locations and buy clubs that have great academies that are developing its own players'. Standard have a notable reputation for the quality of their academy, having produced such players as Burnley defender Ameen Al-Dakhil; ex-Chelsea and Crystal Palace and current Fenerbahce striker Michy Batshuayi; RB Leipzig striker Löis Openda; former Liverpool and Aston Villa forward Christian Benteke, now at DC United in MLS, and former Everton winger Kevin Mirallas. Allan Delferrière, currently on loan at MFK Vyškov from Hibs, also came through Standard's youth system, and it's clear to see why Foley would hold an interest in acquiring the club.