Steven Defour’s first season with Burnley didn’t go well for the player, and it was regularly played out in the Belgian media.
In December there were Belgian reports of Defour being unhappy, and frustrated with the choices of manager Sean Dyche. DH stated Defour: ‘hates being on the bench, especially when the manager’s choices are bizarre.’
In April Belgium’s HLN reported: ‘When he played, he did well. He is a darling of the fans, because technically he’s the best player in the team… Yet Steven Defour is unhappy at Burnley. The football of his coach, Sean Dyche, is not his own – typical English style. Moreover Dyche continues to doubt his engine.’
‘Defour never signed with full enthusiasm for Burnley – his preference was for sunshine and desert.’
A month later Het Nieuwsblad joined the chorus, adding: ‘If the coach stays at Burnley, he wants to leave. If there is a new coach, he wants to stay. He will consider any attractive bid anyway.’
It was just a matter of time, with Defour waiting for that lucrative offer to come in, offering ‘sunshine and desert’.
But there doesn’t appear to have been an offer, or the right offer, and Het Nieuwsblad now report Defour has had a change of mind and wants to stay at Burnley.
The midfielder is ‘one of the best performers in all preseason matches’ and ‘looks fitter than ever’. Dyche is said to be looking for more technical ability in Burnley’s midfield, and there’s been a happy meeting of minds.
This could of course quickly change again if a tempting offer arrives.
