Bruno Venanzi announced this in an interview he gave us last November: “The capital increase will see the light of day at the beginning of 2022, that is categorical. I have already received three offers (Editor’s note: one binding and two non-binding), I am still waiting for one with certainty in the next few weeks and maybe a fifth. We will then establish a short-list. I have interest from counterparties who want to buy the club but also and above all from people who want to come to the capital either in an equal way , or a minority.”
More than two months later, still no white smoke over Sclessin but things are moving in the right direction. Last December, we revealed the presence of Russian investors in Sclessin for the Walloon clash against Charleroi. The latter, despite the incidents that marred the meeting, have not given up their intention to integrate the capital of Standard.
A few days later, the president of the Rouches assured representatives of groups of supporters to have five offers in his possession. During the month of January, the boss of Matricule 16 must determine a partner with whom to hold exclusive discussions. An announcement is expected for the beginning of February.
The calendar would not have been modified and Bruno Venanzi is continuing his discussions with the shortlisted investors. This is why, according to our information, two candidates who came straight from the United States were present this week on the heights of the Academy where they toured the owner on Thursday before attending, among other things, the Clasico Saturday afternoon with the former player and current agent, Guy Vandersmissen and his son.
Still according to our information, these investors are not from the world of football but active in sport. In recent months, Bruno Venanzi also received a full takeover offer from the USA, but it was declined.
It should also be noted that at present, the American investors present this week are not (yet) the lucky ones since the final choice has not yet been made. Bruno Venanzi to sell all the shares.
It is up to us, however, that the will of the president remains unchanged: to find a partner with whom he could share the shares, be a minority or a majority, but his intention would not be to sell all the shares. Finally, it is also up to us that among the final candidates there would not be any Belgian candidates.
