By Chris Wright
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is once again fluttering his eyelashes across the smokey haze of the honky-tonk at Standard Liege midfielder Steven Defour.
Word is that United are plotting a £13 million bid for Defour, but Standard have told them that they must wait until the Belgian international fully recovers from a broken leg before they (or anyone else for that matter) begin to entertain ideas of signing him.
Defour saw his burgeoning reputation curtailed when he shattered his leg in September of last year, an injury that prompted Fergie to write a letter of encouragement to the then 21-year-old midfielder that read;
“Dear Steven, I have just heard about your injury and, in the name of Manchester United, I would like to wish you a full and speedy recovery.
I am sure at the moment you must be feeling awful and that you’ll have all kinds of questions. Steven, these are natural worries but I have to tell you that modern medicine and treatments are incredible, you have to have confidence in them.
I’m going to follow your progress closely and I will remain in contact with your club to have news of your recovery.”
S.W.A.L.K