Belgian club Standard Liege have been something of a soap opera recently. There have been so many stories coming out the club that Belgian TV could probably start a daily drama.
Everton found themselves wrapped up in the situation with a January approach for Ishak Belfodil, and ever since there’s been a public war of blame going on about the failed move. Fingers have been pointed repeatedly and this week Daniel van Buyten was edged out of his advisory role at the club after giving his side of the story.
Then followed a public war of words between Belfodil and Van Buyten over the Everton deal, with the two meeting up on Tuesday to sort things out like ‘real men’, as the footballer put it. That didn’t involve a fist fight, although it wouldn’t have been surprisng, and Belfodil posted an Instagram selfie of himself with Van Buyten, along with a message saying everything was sorted out.
That really should have been that. It was time for someone to close the zip across Standard’s collective mouth. However, the club’s chairman Bruno Venanzi hadn’t had his turn.
Speaking to HBVL was asked a series of questions about the drama at the club recently, one of which concerned the failed Everton deal.
Asked if he was disappointed not to get the money from a Belfodil sale, Venanzi said: “I’m glad Belfodil is still here and hope he plays football next season for us. In January, we received several official offers for him. And I’m not talking about only Everton or Swansea. If we had wanted, we could have made €25m from sales this winter.”
It had been rumoured Ronald Koeman pulled Everton out of the because of worries over Belfodil’s character. To be fair to the footballer he’s probably shown good character given the circus surrounding his club recently.
