8 Premier League Clubs In Hunt For Belgian Star?

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Belgian International Steven Defour put a host of Premier League clubs on alert after the midfielder claimed he is ready to leave Standard Liege, with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United and Portsmouth all interested in the young starlet.

20-year-old Defour joined Standard from Genk in 2006 and has already made nearly 100 appearances for the Belgian Champions, who he led to their first title in 25-years last season, with the midfielder now claiming he has achieved all he can with the Belgian club and is ready to take the next upward step in his career.

Defour admitted, “I have achieved what I wanted to achieve with Standard.

“Maybe it is best for my career to make an upward step. I feel the time is right for me to move on.”



Although Defour has been a rising star of Belgian football for the past two seasons and already has 18 caps for the national side. It was the midfielder’s performances in Europe against Liverpool and Everton that have attracted the clutch of Premiership clubs to the youngster.

However, Standard are understood to be not willing to let Defour leave the Stade Maurice Dufrasne on the cheap, with the midfielder valued in the region of £8million. This price could easily escalate though, should a bidding war break out from the interested English clubs.

Standard can hold out for a high price for Defour, who won the Golden Shoe award in 2007 for most outstanding player in the Jupiler League as the midfielder is contracted to Les Rouches until 2013.

Villa along with the Gunners, Spurs, Magpies, Boro, Pompey and Blackburn are all understood to have had Defour watched recently, with a move to the Premier League almost certain the only uncertainty is which club the young star will join.