Defour raises Belgian Standard

Mechelen-born Steven Defour may be only 18 but his name was on everyone's lips in Belgium this summer.

Transfer saga
The diminutive playmaker had just had a superb season for KRC Genk, and AFC Ajax were keen to sign the young star. Genk set their asking price too high, but there were suggestions that Ajax would exploit a Belgian law whereby a professional sportsman is allowed to terminate his contract and buy it off according to how many months of salary he would have expected to receive during the remainder of his deal. The transfer to Ajax did not happen, but R. Standard de Liège snapped up the talented youngster. The commotion even lead to Genk chairman Jos Vaessen stepping down. A lot of responsibility for such a young player, but one who has proved particularly self-assured.

Quick rise
After playing youth football at Hombeek and KV Mechelen, Defour had been with Genk since 2002. His first-team debut was as a substitute in the 2004/05 season but his big breakthrough came the next season, when the 17-year-old showed himself a player able to deploy his skills in the interest of the whole team, creating opening with his astute passing. Now Defour is on a five-year contract at Standard, learning from Portuguese star Sérgio Conceição and Milan Rapaić.

Mixing with stars
Defour said: "At Genk things became too easy for me. At Standard I may not play in every match at this stage, but I would rather have 20 good matches and start on the bench 14 times, then play 34 moderate matches. Even in training I have become a better player by working with players like Conceição and Rapaić. They give me advice, but also listens to me. I already have criticised Conceição. Sérgio accepts my criticism as he realises I am a good player."

International selection
Since making his international debut for Belgium against Saudi Arabia on 11 May 2006 he also has become a regular choice for national coach René Vandereycken. Defour is now established as the new Belgian golden boy after Vincent Kompany, and with his burst of pace, vision, passing and little shimmies, he could be that nation's main playmaker for a decade to come.