Standard Liège enter the 2026/27 campaign with a rare commodity in modern Belgian football: stability. Vincent Euvrard remains in charge after taking over early last season, and the club completed its transfer business early, avoiding the scramble that has characterised recent windows. The departures of Rafiki Saïd to Wolverhampton Wanderers for €10 million and young academy product René Mitongo to Trabzonspor generated significant funds, which were reinvested in seven summer arrivals. The early returns are encouraging: seven matches, four wins, one draw, and two defeats, with the Rouches sitting sixth in the Pro League on eleven points. This is the definitive guide to the current Standard Liège squad.
Technical Leadership & Coaching Profile
Manager: Vincent Euvrard
Tactical Philosophy: Euvrard, a 44-year-old West Flemish coach who took over from Mircea Rednic early last season, has finally had a full pre-season to implement his ideas. He favours a 4-2-3-1 formation, a shape that has been evident in the opening fixtures. The early statistical profile suggests a side that dominates possession and generates chances from a variety of sources. Standard have scored at least two goals in each of their last three league matches, and the team’s attacking output has been more consistent than in previous campaigns. Euvrard’s challenge is translating that attacking fluency into a genuine European qualification push, something the club has not achieved since the 2020/21 season.
Preferred Formations: 4-2-3-1, with the capacity to adjust based on opponent and game state.
Strategic Transfer Activity
Standard’s summer was defined by the €10 million sale of Rafiki Saïd to Wolves, a fee that represented exceptional value for a player who contributed eight goals and five assists in 38 appearances. The club reinvested a portion of those funds in seven new arrivals, prioritising young, high-potential players with the physical and technical profiles to thrive in the Pro League.
Table A: Summer Major Transfer Influx
| Player | Position | Former Club | Fee Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salieu Drammeh | Winger | Lillestrom | €2.2m |
| Alexis Trouillet | Central Midfielder | Rodez | Undisclosed |
| Rayan Touzghar | Central Midfielder | Pau | Undisclosed |
| Dimitri Lavalée | Centre-Back | Sturm Graz | Free |
| Laurens Goemaere | Midfielder | Club Brugge | Undisclosed |
| Bruny Nsimba | Forward | Dender | Undisclosed |
| Sylvester Jasper | Winger | Zeleznicar Pancevo | Undisclosed |
Salieu Drammeh is the headline attacking addition, arriving from Lillestrom for €2.2 million. The 23-year-old, who holds Gambian, Danish, and English nationality, scored 12 goals and provided 15 assists in 53 appearances for the Norwegian club. Sporting director Marc Wilmots described him as “our plan A for this position,” praising his “speed, ability to repeat runs, and quality in one-on-one situations.” Alexis Trouillet joined from Rodez after an impressive Ligue 2 campaign, with Wilmots describing him as “a midfield recoverer with above-average technical quality to bring the ball out.” Dimitri Lavalée returned to his native Belgium after three years at Sturm Graz, while Laurens Goemaere arrived from Club Brugge, where he captained Club NXT.
The First-Team Roster
Goalkeepers
Matthieu Epolo (#1): The 21-year-old has established himself as the undisputed number one, playing 100% of league minutes this season. Epolo has kept two clean sheets in seven appearances and recorded 12 saves. His market value has risen to €4.7 million, reflecting his growing reputation as one of Belgium’s most promising young goalkeepers.
Lucas Pirard (#21): The 31-year-old provides experienced cover, a reliable deputy with Pro League pedigree.
Belmin Dizdarevic (#35): The 25-year-old provides third-choice depth.
Defenders
Ibe Hautekiet (#25): The 24-year-old centre-back has played every minute of the league campaign, forming a reliable partnership with Karamoko. His composure and aerial ability make him a cornerstone of Euvrard’s defensive structure.
Ibrahim Karamoko (#20): The French defender has also played 100% of league minutes, contributing one assist. His physicality and reading of the game complement Hautekiet’s profile.
Marlon Fossey (#13): The American right-back has started six of seven matches, contributing one assist. His attacking thrust from full-back is a key outlet in Euvrard’s system.
Gustav Mortensen (#3): The 22-year-old Danish left-back has played 421 minutes, providing width and defensive solidity on the left flank.
Henry Lawrence (#18): The English defender provides cover across the back line, with 201 minutes played this season.
Daan Dierckx (#29): The 23-year-old centre-back provides depth, with two appearances this season.
Dimitri Lavalée (#4): The 29-year-old returned to Belgium after three years at Sturm Graz but has yet to feature in the league.
Josué Homawoo (#24): The 28-year-old defender provides further depth in central defence.
Midfielders
Casper Nielsen (#94): The 32-year-old Danish midfielder is Standard’s key player and creative fulcrum. Nielsen has contributed one goal and three assists in seven appearances, and his 16 key passes are the most in the squad. His experience and technical quality make him the driving force in Euvrard’s midfield, and his ability to arrive in scoring positions adds a dimension that few Pro League midfielders possess.
Alexis Trouillet (#22): The 25-year-old Frenchman has played 89% of league minutes, establishing himself in the double pivot. His technical quality and ball-winning ability provide the platform for Nielsen to operate further forward.
Rayan Touzghar (#84): The 22-year-old midfielder has played 75% of league minutes, adding energy and progressive passing to the engine room.
Ryan Fosso (#80): The 24-year-old provides depth in central midfield, with five appearances this season.
Marco Ilaimaharitra (#23): The 31-year-old defensive midfielder has been limited to one appearance due to injury.
Laurens Goemaere (#6): The 20-year-old arrived from Club Brugge but has yet to make a league appearance.
Forwards
Dennis Eckert Ayensa (#10): The 29-year-old German forward is Standard’s top scorer with four goals in seven appearances. His movement and finishing make him the focal point of the attack, and his 0.81 goals per 90 minutes ranks among the best in the squad.
Adnane Abid (#11): The 23-year-old Belgian-Moroccan winger has been a revelation, contributing three goals and two assists in seven appearances. His pace and directness on the right flank make him a constant threat, and his 1.00 goal contribution per 90 minutes underlines his importance.
Salieu Drammeh (#15): The summer signing has scored two goals in 253 minutes, demonstrating the finishing ability that convinced Standard to make him their priority target. His speed and one-on-one quality add a different dimension to the attack.
Bernard Nguene (#17): The 20-year-old Cameroonian has contributed one goal and one assist in seven appearances. His development, after a full summer to settle, is one of the season’s intriguing storylines.
Bruny Nsimba (#77): The 26-year-old forward provides depth and competition, with one goal in five appearances.
Andi Zeqiri (#9): The 27-year-old Swiss forward returned to Standard on loan from Widzew Lodz with an option to buy. Zeqiri scored 10 goals in 2024/25 during his previous loan spell at Sclessin and expressed his excitement at rejoining a “new-look” Standard: “There is a lot more quality than during my first spell here… the players are hungry, and that’s what I love.”
Leadership Group & Squad Regulations
Club Captain: The captaincy structure is anchored by Casper Nielsen and Ibe Hautekiet, whose experience and consistency provide leadership across the squad. Nielsen’s role as the creative fulcrum and his battle through injuries and personal tragedy have earned him the respect of the dressing room.
Homegrown Quota Check: Standard’s academy remains central to the club’s identity. The departure of René Mitongo to Trabzonspor for several million euros demonstrated the value of the development pathway. Dimitri Lavalée, a product of the Standard academy, returned to the club after three years in Austria.
Financial & Contractual Health
Financial Balance Overview: The €10 million sale of Rafiki Saïd to Wolves was a “golden deal” for Standard, according to Belgian media, and the club reinvested strategically rather than extravagantly. The free transfer of Dimitri Lavalée and the modest fees for Drammeh and Trouillet reflect a sustainable approach to squad building. Sporting director Marc Wilmots has been praised for completing the club’s transfer homework early, allowing Euvrard to integrate new players during pre-season.
Contract Red Alerts: Andi Zeqiri’s loan arrangement includes a purchase option, giving Standard flexibility depending on his performances. The long-term futures of key performers like Eckert and Abid will depend on the club’s ability to secure European qualification.
The Academy Pipeline & Loan Tracker
Breakout Talents to Watch: Bernard Nguene, signed from Nice in the winter, has shown promising moments and is expected to benefit from a full pre-season. The 20-year-old Cameroonian scored one goal in 14 appearances last season and has already contributed a goal and an assist this campaign.
Notable Out on Loan: René Mitongo, an 18-year-old academy product, was sold to Trabzonspor for several million euros.
Set-Piece Specialists & FPL Cheat Sheet
Penalties: Dennis Eckert Ayensa (First Choice) / Casper Nielsen (Second Choice).
Direct Free-Kicks: Casper Nielsen / Adnane Abid.
Corners & Crosses: Casper Nielsen and Tobias Mohr are the primary deliverers, with Salieu Drammeh offering an alternative from wide areas.
For Fantasy Pro League managers, Dennis Eckert Ayensa is the standout asset, with four goals in seven matches. Adnane Abid’s three goals and two assists make him a premium midfield option, while Casper Nielsen’s set-piece duties and creative output offer reliable returns.
Final Outlook: Navigating the Tactical Horizon
Standard Liège enter the 2026/27 season with genuine optimism. The club’s transfer business was completed early, the squad is settled, and Euvrard has had a full pre-season to implement his 4-2-3-1 system. The early results—seven points from the opening three matches, and four wins from seven overall—suggest the Rouches are on the right track.
The primary objective is clear: a return to European football for the first time since 2020/21. The attacking output has been encouraging, with Standard scoring at least two goals in three consecutive league matches. Eckert’s goalscoring, Abid’s creativity, and Drammeh’s integration give Euvrard multiple attacking solutions.
The concerns are defensive consistency and the ability to maintain form over a full season. Standard’s recent history has been characterised by inconsistency, and the Pro League’s congested fixture list will test the squad’s depth. If Euvrard can keep his key players fit and maintain the attacking fluency evident in the opening weeks, Standard have the quality to challenge for a European ticket. The margin between a successful season and another mid-table finish is fine, but the foundation appears more solid than at any point in recent memory.
