Standard Liège have identified Stoke City’s Eric Bocat as a target, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri.
He took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to report that the Belgian club ‘swoop in’ to sign the left-back.
The summer window in the UK has already closed but one in Belgian is open until later today.
Tavolieri reports the Jupiler Pro League club had their eyes on RC Strasbourg’s Eduard Sobol. It’s unclear why they weren’t able to make advances to secure his services and have shifted their focus on the Stoke City man.
According to the journalist, Standard Liège have ‘finally settled’ on the 26-year-old.
In another post on X, the journalist reports Standard Liège manager Marc Wilmots has identified Bocat as a priority target.
Standard Liège want to sign him on loan with a €2m purchase option, but Mark Robins’ side have no intention of sanctioning a move. Despite this, both the Belgian club and the Stoke City player are pushing for a transfer.
Either way, Standard Liège have swooped in, and an attempt has been made to take the Frenchman away from Stoke City. Bocat has made three substitute appearances in the Championship this season.
Tavolieri’s claim hasn’t been backed up in Belgian and the British press so far.
Standard Liège currently have Alexandro Calut, Boli Bolingoli and Souleyman Doumbia [returned on loan from Charlotte FC last month] as three left-backs, and all have their contracts expiring in 2026.
