Marc Wilmots and Jérôme Bonnissel leave Standard over recruitment row

Mercato Marc Wilmots confirmed that Jérôme Bonnissel, the director of recruitment at Standard Liège, finished his notice period and left the club on Wednesday 31 September following a professional disagreement with sporting director Marc Wilmots.

Recruitment overhaul and data focus

Bonnissel, a 53-year-old Frenchman, was appointed in July 2025 after Wilmots, his former teammate at Girondins de Bordeaux, brought him to Liège. He introduced a data-driven approach, recommending the signing of Matthieu Le Gall, a university graduate in computer science, statistics and technology, who built a new platform to pre‑screen candidates according to criteria set by the sporting department.

The system aimed to streamline scouting, but Bonnissel soon felt his voice was not sufficiently heard. Internal reports suggest he approved few transfers and sought to broaden his remit, yet his limited physical presence in Liège meant little day‑to‑day interaction with the dressing‑room staff.

Departure details and reactions

In a LinkedIn post, Bonnissel wrote, "Fin avril, j'avais averti ma direction qu'en dépit des deux ans de contrat qu'il me restait, je ne souhaitais pas continuer dans ma fonction de directeur du recrutement." He highlighted that, despite a three‑year contract, he preferred to step aside for someone more "adaptable" to the sporting department's ideas. The post concluded with the phrase "C'est fini." and a tribute to the club.

Bonnissel never granted an interview in the fifteen months at Standard, and he has never been photographed during his tenure, underscoring his low‑profile approach.

A French source quoted in July said, "Jérôme a un caractère un peu particulier; il peut se braquer rapidement," adding that he possesses "un très bon œil foot." The source noted this was not Bonnissel's first contentious exit; in 2016 he left Bordeaux in disagreement with club policy.

Standard Liège has not announced a replacement for the recruitment cell, and the club will continue its campaign in the Jupiler Pro League without a new director of recruitment. Credit for the report goes to Vincent Blouard.