Standard Liège eyes loan of Belgian U21 striker Norman Bassette from Coventry

Standard Liège has formally approached Coventry City with a proposal to secure a season‑long loan of Belgian under‑21 striker Norman Bassette for the 2024‑25 campaign, aiming to add a forward with a proven record at KV Mechelen and the Belgian youth level.

The 23‑year‑old Ardennes native is an outspoken Standard Liège fan, a trait that aligns with the club’s strategy of recruiting young Belgians with a connection to Liège. Discussions are ongoing between Standard Liège and Coventry City, and former Belgium coach Marc Wilmots is awaiting a response from the English side.

Bassette completed his formative training at Excelsior Virton before moving through Charleroi, Bertrix and Eupen to join French side Stade Malherbe Caen. At Stade Malherbe Caen he broke into the first team, netting four goals in fifteen appearances across two seasons.

In the 2023‑24 season he was loaned to KV Mechelen, where he scored five goals in twenty‑three matches wearing the red‑yellow shirt. Although Standard Liège had already shown interest, Stade Malherbe Caen subsequently transferred him to Coventry City for just under €3 million.

His first season in England’s second tier yielded only two goals from twenty‑nine appearances, a modest return. The following two campaigns saw him loaned in January 2025 to French club Reims, scoring twice in thirteen games, and in 2026 to German side Kaiserslautern, where he again managed two goals in sixteen 2. Bundesliga matches.

Given the mixed results, Standard Liège are pursuing only a loan arrangement, hoping the deal will prove successful. The club will assess his impact in the red‑white shirt, recalling his prolific Belgian U21 record of ten goals in six internationals.

Thus far Standard Liège have re‑signed defender Dimitri Lavalée from Sturm Graz and are also monitoring Maxime Busi, a teammate of Bassette’s during his six‑match stint at Reims.