Eventually however, on 31 July 2020, just two days before the actual final match, the decision was overturned and instead the 2020–21 Belgian First Division A would be expanded to 18 (from 16) teams, meaning both OH Leuven and Beerschot would be promoted.

[3] The first new player incoming was 29 year old French midfielder Xavier Mercier, who came over from Cercle Brugge where he had previously worked under the duo of Franky Vercauteren and Vincent Euvrard when they won the 2017–18 Belgian First Division B title and were promoted.

[4] Still before summer, OH Leuven also departed from Jovan Kostovski whose contract had ended after six seasons with the club, allowing him a free agent move to Cypriot team Ethnikos Achna.

Meanwhile his goalkeeping brother Nick Gillekens was released after his contract ended, which was also the case for French midfielder Julien Gorius and Senegalese striker Simon Diedhiou.

[12] With transfer deadline day approaching, several players who were deemed surplus found a solution by moving to a different team: Jarno Libert to RWDM47,[13] Jenthe Mertens to Go Ahead Eagles[14] and Redouane Kerrouche to Aves.

[16] Finally, two last minute incoming transfers occurred with Slovenian winger/striker Milan Tučić being signed from Rudar Velenje[17] and striker Jérémy Perbet arriving on loan from Charleroi.

On the incoming side, midway through January, 21 year old Canadian Tristan Borges was brought in from Forge FC,[19] while on transfer deadline day two more players came in from Gent: Jan Van den Bergh was loaned for 6-months (without buy clause)[20] while Stallone Limbombe was signed until 2022.