SEAN Dyche has highlighted Steven Defour as an example to follow for new signings who may find it difficult to settle in at Turf Moor.

While most new recruits hit the ground running with the Clarets, the Belgium midfielder found life tougher when he first arrived in a £7.5million deal from Anderlecht in August 2016.

Despite arriving at the Clarets with nearly 50 caps for Belgium and years of experience in top-level European competition, Defour struggled in his first campaign.

He didn't complete 90 minutes in the Premier League during 2016/17 and at the time Dyche spoke of the former Porto and Standard Liege man's difficulties in adapting to the English game.

But instead of looking for a way out of Turf Moor Defour knuckled down in pre-season last summer and returned a different player last term as he struck up a fine understanding with Jack Cork.

"We can only go on evidence, most players we've signed settle in really quickly, as people and professionals," said Dyche.

"Then if that helps to perform, probably it does, if doesn't and they stick with it usually it wins the day.

"Steven Defour is the best example, just talking about that. He had a big shift in his own mind about the first year, he came back for pre-season and was a different character, whole manner, professionalism, the desire."

Defour was excellent for Burnley last season until a knee injury picked up in January ended his campaign early.

But he has already been back in training at the Barnfield Training Centre this summer ahead of the return to pre-season on July 2.

Dyche has been delighted with the 30-year-old's transformation and while the Turf boss will be hoping any new recruits this summer are able to start with a bang, he can always point to the renaissance of Defour's Clarets career as an example to follow.

"Until his injury I thought he was first class (last season)," Dyche said. "He's a big sign of a player that was there and goes there, he's an obvious marker. That's massively down to him.

"We laid it on for him and he took it on. Even if it doesn't work at first. If you spoke to Steven Defour two Christmases ago, he'd say ‘love the group, training's been great, really enjoy being here but can't quite get my head around the football side of things. This summer I get it.’ It comes together."