Add to Preferred Sources

Coventry City‘s Norman Bassette has hit back at Steven Defour for criticising his overall behaviour while at KV Mechelen.

The 21-year-old had spent the 2023/24 season on loan at the Belgian club from Caen.

Defour was in charge when he arrived but left the club in November 2023. The Coventry City man had played 140 minutes from six matches under the former Burnley midfielder and his form improved after his exit.

Besnik Hasi replaced Defour and the striker scored five goals from 15 matches under the former’s orders for Mechelen.

Coventry City player impressing in Belgium

After the loan spell at Mechelen, the frontman joined Coventry City permanently, and the move didn’t work out well. He managed two goals and an assist from 29 matches for the English club.

Since January 2025, he has been out on loan at Stade de Reims, 1. FC Kaiserslautern and KVC Westerlo. He joined the latter on loan in July, and there’s a purchase option as part of the deal.

Norman Bassette has seven goals and an assist from 10 matches so far this season. Last month, he expressed his happiness over the good start to the season.

He said: “It’s the first time I’ve started a season so well. Usually, it took me longer to adapt. But I’ve received a lot of support from the club, the staff, and all of that means I feel very comfortable at Westerlo.”

Coventry City man slams Defour

Steven Defour attacked Norman Bassette while on podcast, 90 Minutes, and Circus Daily in Belgium have relayed his comments.

“Norman arrived at our club and, in fact, he wasn’t training very well. He wasn’t doing much, he was very selfish, etc,” he said.

“After a few appearances as a substitute, he went to see my assistant coach, Fred Vanderbiest. ‘Why am I not playing?’ Fred replied: ‘Maybe you should start training a bit better.’ He said: ‘But I’m not a training player, I’m a match player’.”

Speaking to DAZN in Belgium, the Coventry City man responded to his former manager’s harsh criticism.

“I heard it, and frankly, it touched me. That’s not me. I think everyone who knows me knows I might make mistakes, but I’m not a cheat,” Bassette explained.

“We saw it when he left. With Besnik Hasi, I played and had my best season. That’s all I have to say.”

His contract with Frank Lampard’s side runs down in 2028. The Premier League side would hope for Westerlo to make his stay permanent after this season.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR