EXCLUSIVE: Charlton join foreign legion as Belgian millionaire agrees takeover deal

Charlton are the latest English club to come under foreign ownership with a deal agreed on Friday night with Belgian millionaire and political activist Roland Duchatelet.

The business tycoon who made his fortune in electronics is understood to have paid a cut-price £14m for the London club who are currently lying sixth from bottom in the Championship.

Addicks chairman Michael Slater confirmed the news on the club's official website www.cafc.co.uk on Saturday, stating: 'Very constructive discussions are ongoing which we hope to conclude soon.'



Takeover time: Charlton (Yann Kermorgant, pictured right) are the latest club to have a foreign owner Spreading his wings: Standard's chairman Roland Duchatelet has agreed a deal with the Addicks

The takeover follows the collapse last month at the due diligence stage of a proposed purchase of Charlton by American sports franchise owner Josh Harris.

There was considerable urgency for a new owner to be found as London property developer Kevin Cash, who has been bankrolling Charlton, was no longer prepared to put in further funding.

Duchatelet is a high profile figure in Belgium where he owns Standard Liege, the current leaders of the Belgian Pro League, as well as founding a small social liberal political party Vivant who believe in a basic minimum wage for all.

He paid around £35m to buy Standard Liege in 2011. But fans were furious with his policy of selling the club’s best players leading to pitch invasions and demonstrations in the streets of Liege.

But Duchatelet’s appointment of unknown 38-year-old Isreali coach Guy Luzon last summer has helped turn around supporter opinion of the owner with Luzon leading Liege to the top of the table.