Standard Liege reportedly seeking donation from former player Marouane Fellaini to avoid losing professional status

Brussels: Standard Liege have asked their former player and Belgian international Marouane Fellaini to invest money and help ensure the survival of the club as they face being relegated to the amateur ranks, local media reported on Wednesday.

Fellaini, who began his career at the Belgian club before moving to the Premier League and now China, is being asked to follow former Standard teammate Axel Witsel in a group of investors seeking to buy the club’s stadium and then rent it back to them, thereby raising the cash they need to stay afloat.

Witsel has put 1.5-million euros ($1.63 million) into the project, the reports claimed.

Standard had their professional licence rescinded on 8 April after the Belgian football association found they had not paid premiums owed to players.

Standard, who finished third behind Arsenal and Eintracht Frankfurt in their Europa League group this season, have appealed the decision and the club said they were confident they would prove their financial viability at its hearing on 5 May.