Defour’s Man Utd heartbreak

Burnley’s record-breaking signing Steven Defour has opened up about his heartbreak at failing to seal a move to Manchester United when injury prevented him from joining Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

The Belgium international joined the newly-promoted Clarets from Anderlecht for £8m in August, having previously been eyed by a number of Premier League clubs including United.

Former Old Trafford boss Ferguson wrote a letter to Defour back in 2009, in which he wished the player a speedy recovery from a broken bone in his foot and also promised to keep track of his progress.

Although rumours of a switch to England persisted, a move to Manchester did not materialise and Defour has admitted the injury and missed opportunity was difficult to take.

Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, he said: “Before my injury it [a United move] was one of the possibilities, because I knew they were following me but then came that severe injury and that was quite a hard one from me.

“It was an open fracture of my foot and I was really down because, for the first time, I could have played in the Champions League and then three days before I broke my foot so I was really down.

“It was difficult to find my form before my injury to have the level of a club like Manchester United.”

As well as injury woes, Defour has experienced lows of a different kind during his career as a …

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