After King Power and the late Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha purchased Leicester City in 2010, it took until the end of the 2013/2014 season for the Foxes to be promoted. Money was invested, but it was all worthwhile when they shocked English football in 2015/2016.
In 2017, the club extended its football activities by acquiring a number of foreign-owned clubs. King Power purchased OH Leuven, a Belgian football club in the second tier at the time. The goal was to develop OH Leuven into a top-tier squad while also providing a platform for future talent to grow. The first goal came after three seasons, when the club won promotion during the COVID-19 break. It would not be an exaggeration to argue that the second purpose of player development has been absent.
OH Leuven should have been able to transition into a solid top flight team with the backing of King Power. After a few good seasons, the team appears to be heading down to the second division, like their sister club Leicester City did last season. Even last season, recruitment was weak. Many of the players that arrived during the summer transfer window of 2022/2023 either did not play or were released in January.
The team has signed 11 players this season, with Transfermarkt estimating a total investment of roughly €9 million. However, the arrival of a new starting XI has not improved the side’s fortunes. Despite a difficult season, they managed to finish 10th, their best since promotion. From the outside, it was evident that something needed to change. One rumour was that players were disgruntled with Marc Brys, who had been brought in following promotion. Brys remained, despite the side’s struggles with rhythm and consistency.
After only two wins in the first ten games, the powers that be eventually succumbed to fan and likely player pressure to fire Brys. Oscar Garcia, a former Watford and Brighton player, took his spot. Things have not improved, as the team has yet to win a league game under the Spanish manager.
During this time, the distance to safety has expanded to five points. Change is not impossible, but the team will need to recruit successfully in January, which they have failed to achieve in prior seasons. At the moment, it appears that OH Leuven will follow Leicester City’s lead and return to the Challenger Pro League next season.
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