Steven Defour has signed a new contract with Standard Liege.

The Daily Mail says Sir Alex Ferguson's attempts to woo Defour have hit a setback, with the Belgium starlet signing a new deal at Standard Liege.

The 21-year-old midfielder, also the subject of approaches by Liverpool, Everton and Real Madrid, has extended his contract at Standard till 2015.

Ferguson's admiration was revealed in October when it had emerged the Manchester United boss had penned a get-well-soon letter to Defour, who had suffered a nasty broken foot.