Standard Liege midfielder Steven Defour has revealed he could be
ready to take the next step in his career amid interest from
Manchester United.
Belgium international Defour, 22, is one of the most
highly-rated young talents in his homeland and news emerged of
United's interest when Sir Alex Ferguson sent the
player a letter after he suffered a broken foot late last year.
Defour has now recovered his fitness and reports of a switch to
the Premier League are rife, with Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson having scouted the
player in recent weeks, and he has suggested he could now be ready
to move on.
"I know that Manchester United are monitoring me, but there
hasn't been any contact," Defour told Belgian TV programme
Extra Time. "I've been sidelined for quite a while due to
the injury, but I'm playing at a high level again.
"If everything goes well and I continue playing as I am, there
is a better chance of me leaving than there was at the start of the
season.
"I've had the opportunity to leave Standard on a couple of
occasions, but I loved the club too much to leave. However, I'm 22
years old now and I also have to think about myself. There comes a
time when you just have to make the next step in your career,
regardless of your feeling for the club."
On his injury, he added: "The pain is much less severe than it
was at the beginning of the season. The pain will eventually
disappear altogether, but I have to do my exercises every day and
work hard."
Defour's agent, Paul Stefani, said recently that a January move
is a "possibility".