Trying to take him back to Belgium according to Kristof T on Twitter.
The Belgium journalist isn't often wrong on Belgian players.

If this story has legs then great news,we've needed to get Steven Defour off the wage bill for a while now,how fit is he though?.

And any fee will be welcome even a couple of million.

He’s the one who broke the news of his move to Burnley but I can’t find anything from him today on Defour

Well I suppose it won’t be as far for him to travel to see his physio

Would be awesome if we could get some cash for him and get him off the wage bill

ClaretTony wrote:He’s the one who broke the news of his move to Burnley but I can’t find anything from him today on Defour

Think there is a link to an article in HLN on twitter

Doubt he'd pass any medical

ClaretTony wrote:He’s the one who broke the news of his move to Burnley but I can’t find anything from him today on Defour

https://www.hln.be/sport/voetbal/belgis ... ~a5102935/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just seen he’s retweeted something. If he’s put his name to it, even just a retweet, there will be something in it.

There is a link to the Belgium article but no sign of the actual tweet saying they want him

He's deleted the tweet but has retweeted an article by HNL Sports but it's written in Belgian.

Does "being a lazy ****" fail a medical?

Steven Defour talks with Antwerp

Is the next sensational transfer in Belgian football in the making? Antwerp talks with Steven Defour.
The 31-year-old former Red Devil is under contract with Premier League club Burnley for another year. He can leave, but at the right price. Luciano D’Onofrio waits for the right moment to strike, but knows that Defour also has a generous wage at Burnley. Lines have been explained in recent months. The player is waiting for a concrete proposal.

The conversations are confirmed within Antwerp. Defour is now recovering from a calf injury. He has resumed running training. Because he is not yet fit, the club rents Danny Drinkwater (ex-Leicester) from Chelsea for six months.

Let him go on a free to get him off the wage bill. It's highly unlikely he's going to play for us again.

You'd imagine they'd only want to offer him a short term contract given his injury record.

Quickenthetempo wrote:He's deleted the tweet but has retweeted an article by HNL Sports but it's written in Belgian.

That’s why I couldn’t find it and then the retweet appeared

I should think this would be an attractive proposition for both the player and the Club. Providing they can meet his wage demands and providing he would pass even the most basic of medicals.

He's out of contract next summer, and if we have any sense at all, we will not be looking to extend his contract with us.

where's belgiumclaret when we need him?

Best Midfield player I've ever seen at Burnley but his injury record and lack of fitness or whatever it seems to be is plaguing us and he needs to be off the wage bill if he isn't going to play.

I suspect at Antwerp there won't be as stringent rules regarding how fit he is as there is here with Dyche

claretonthecoast1882 wrote:https://www.hln.be/sport/voetbal/belgis ... ~a5102935/

this is the link translation!

'...This website uses cookies This website like most websites use cookies. These cookies we collect and third-party information about your visit and interest. In this way it is possible to analyze the use of our site, to customize the content of the website to show you relevant ads and social media integration features. So we'll keep it for you at any time interesting. Central to our cookie policy is respect for your privacy. Through the link "Learn More" below you will find out what cookies we use and you can set specific purposes for which you accept cookies. By immediately proceed to our site, you consent to cookies and optimal browsing experience. Thank you for your confidence and have fun!...'

loan covering a decent chunk of his wages in lieu of a fee. thank you and goodnight

Imagine Drinkwater and Defour in midfield

ClaretAndJew wrote:Imagine Drinkwater and Defour in midfield

Sounds nice but sadly i think its only going to happen in people's imagination

Great footballer, poor athlete.

We need to temper our playing staff to those who can actually play and if this injury was in his first season fair enough. It isn't though and his wage is a drain we can't really afford in the hope he will play the odd game again.

Quickenthetempo wrote:He's deleted the tweet but has retweeted an article by HNL Sports but it's written in Belgian.

There's no such language as Belgian.

Tall Paul wrote:There's no such language as Belgian.

Must be double Dutch then...

Dutch or French mainly.

Source? I'm Flemish about 400 years go.

ClaretAndJew wrote:Imagine Drinkwater and Defour in midfield

Reckon that would be our best midfield since the early 60s for sure...

Unfortunately, doubt we’ll see it

Falcon wrote:Doubt he'd pass any medical

Maybe he will. Suspect a big part of his issues are not being in Belgium

Looks like I'm in a minority, along with C&J, who would be gutted to see him leave.

Royboyclaret wrote:Looks like I'm in a minority, along with C&J, who would be gutted to see him leave.

I'd be gutted too - if he were actually playing.

It's like being married to Rachel Riley but the decorators are always in...

Royboyclaret wrote:Looks like I'm in a minority, along with C&J, who would be gutted to see him leave.

Apparently nothing it but not sure why you’d be gutted, he doesn’t play.

Royboyclaret wrote:Looks like I'm in a minority, along with C&J, who would be gutted to see him leave.

I'll be gutted to see him leave, as i have been to see him not play for us for much of his time here. We can't carry a wage like that, it is simply economics

Rick_Muller wrote:I'd be gutted too - if he were actually playing.

It's like being married to Rachel Riley but the decorators are always in...

Could always at least play her in a different position should we say......

ZizkovClaret wrote:I'll be gutted to see him leave, as i have been to see him not play for us for much of his time here. We can't carry a wage like that, it is simply economics

Sadly I agree it's time to plan for the future. Actually its a year late but we got away with it.

claretblue wrote:where's belgiumclaret when we need him?

Never mind him, he's a Waloon !

Such a shame this didn't work out, would have loved to have seen a fully fit Defour pulling the strings in our midfield.

So he’s not that injured then if a club are willing to some cash at this? Ordinarily you wouldn’t be wasting money on a 31 yo who was “months” from fitness.

Surprised he’s off to Antwerp though. Not exactly one of the elite teams in a pretty poor league.

Royboyclaret wrote:Looks like I'm in a minority, along with C&J, who would be gutted to see him leave.

Me too I would be gutted... I would love to see a fully fit Defour in a Claret shirt again.

Boden has just knocked it back via Defour’s agent.

Bosscat wrote:Me too I would be gutted... I would love to see a fully fit Defour in a Claret shirt again.

I think we’d all like to see a fit Defour but will he ever be fit? He’s not been since the start of 2018.

But, as I posted further up, it was no more than an enquiry from Antwerp.

ClaretTony wrote:Apparently nothing it but not sure why you’d be gutted, he doesn’t play.

Simple answer to that is we'd be losing our finest footballer since Jimmy Mac.

If, as Dyche now says, he's back running on the grass, perhaps in a month or so time he'd be ready to form a partnership in midfield with Drinkwater. If that happened I'd be backing us to finish top ten at worst and maybe even higher.

They've certainly enquired about him.

To be honest, I can see him returning to Belgium either now, in January or at the end of the season. Antwerp is a possibility but I think his preferred destination would be Mechelen.

Don't know how far he is from fitness though, SD seems to be implying months rather than weeks

ZizkovClaret wrote:Could always at least play her in a different position should we say......

Yeah, but it's always sh!t at the back

Royboyclaret wrote:Simple answer to that is we'd be losing our finest footballer since Jimmy Mac.

If, as Dyche now says, he back running on the grass, perhaps in a month or so time he'd be ready to form a partnership in midfield with Drinkwater. If that happened I'd be backing us to finish top ten at worst and maybe even higher.

To suggest he’s the best since Jimmy Mac is stretching things considerably no matter how good he is.


A month or so? Dyche said last week it is longer term and not talking weeks so that suggests months. I would not be surprised to see this stretch out to Christmas or even longer.

Rick_Muller wrote:Yeah, but it's always sh!t at the back

1 from the top, 1 from the bottom

Rick_Muller wrote:I'd be gutted too - if he were actually playing.

It's like being married to Rachel Riley but the decorators are always in...

Ha like that would stop me...

His agent has indeed knocked it back. Let's hope we see him in a claret and blue shirt sooner than later

Belgianclaret wrote:They've certainly enquired about him.

To be honest, I can see him returning to Belgium either now, in January or at the end of the season. Antwerp is a possibility but I think his preferred destination would be Mechelen.

Don't know how far he is from fitness though, SD seems to be implying months rather than weeks

About 18 months

Belgianclaret wrote:His agent has indeed knocked it back. Let's hope we see him in a claret and blue shirt sooner than later

We hope so but we can’t be confident. He came back twice last season and looked nowhere near fit so we haven’t seen a fit Defour for 18 months.

Imagine being able to select your midfield from Cork, Westwood, Hendrick, Defour & Drinkwater.