'West Ham would have been the ideal next step'

Reports emerged on transfer deadline day that the London club were after Dendoncker to solve their dwindling squad numbers, after being hit with 14 injuries during the winter break.

However, their offer for the 22-year-old was rejected by his current club Anderlecht with the move collapsing in the final hours. Although the Belgium international holds no bad feelings about the failed transfer.

Speaking to the Dutch newspaper, the young midfielder declared: "If deals still have to be arranged in the evening on January 31, there is little chance that there will be a breakthrough".

Though he did conclude: "West Ham seemed to me, however, a nice club to take the next step in my career". 

Nonetheless, it appears that any move for Dendoncker in the summer could be successful with the player acting coy when asked by the reporter: "That's for the summer."