A move to Manchester United never transpired, but Steven Defour fondly remembers Alex Ferguson's interest.
Burnley's Steven Defour remains grateful to former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson for sending a letter wishing him well when he broke a metatarsal in 2009.
Aged 21 and already captain of Standard Liege, Defour was tipped for a big-money move - with United among the rumoured suitors - until he suffered the injury.
He joined Porto in 2011 and returned to Belgium with Anderlecht in 2014, never quite hitting the heights that were once expected of the midfielder.
Speaking ahead of Burnley's visit to Old Trafford on Saturday, the 28-year-old reminisced about the gesture he received from Ferguson during a tough time.