Burnley midfielder Steven Defour has spoken about the time Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson sent him a message encouraging him to persevere after suffering a serious injury.
Defour was one of the hottest young talents in European football and United were closely monitoring him, until horror struck with when he broke a metatarsal in his right foot. As a result, Defour felt really down, especially seeing that the injury meant he missed out on making his Champions League debut and showcasing his talents to some of the continent's biggest clubs.
Speaking toThe Guardian, Defour said:It was an open fracture and you could see the bone. There was no bone after they dealt with it. There was a two‘centimetre hole where the bone should be. To fill it in they took a bone graft from my hip and mixed it with cement."
The letter Steven Defour received from Sir Alex Ferguson after fracturing his foot in 2009.
Kind words. pic.twitter.com/ULxF3inKzM
I was really down because of missing out on the Champions League and I knew that a lot of clubs were following me. I felt really, really bad. One day I received a letter from Sir Alex Ferguson wishing me well.
"That was a surprise because not everybody gets a letter from Sir Alex Ferguson when they are injured but I knew from a year before that Manchester United were following me closely. It was still a surprise to receive the letter and I wrote one back to him to say thank you, but I've not met him to say it.
Although nothing came of the United offer, Defour moved to Porto before signing for Anderlecht. After finally getting a dream ticket to the Premier League in the shape of Burnley, Defour has set about establishing himself as a star in England, saying Clarets boss Sean Dyche was a crucial factor in him moving to Turf Moor.
"He was really ambitious and convinced we can do something with this team. He is straightforward, honest and he wants us to be a team. It is the first time I am playing for a team that is really that “ a team."