Everton could be set to raid newly-promoted Burnley with the signing of Maxime Esteve in the coming weeks, according to reports from France - with David Moyes looking to strengthen what is already one of the strongest back lines in the Premier League.
The Toffees had the joint-fourth strongest defence in the division this season, with only Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea conceding less - and had the goals conceded tally begun in mid-September, the Toffees would boast the outright toughest defence in the league. But Moyes clearly isn't content with what he has - and is lining up a move for the in-demand Frenchman after his record-breaking season of clean sheets.
Report: Everton 'Pressing' for Maxime Esteve Signing
The Toffees have the Clarets man in their sights after a strong season
Maxime Esteve
The report by L'Equipe states that despite Burnley only recently being promoted from the Championship, Esteve could still leave in the summer transfer window if the Clarets receive a high-enough bid for his services - with Everton holding a key interest in the former Montpellier man, who has been dubbed as 'unbelievable' by manager Scott Parker.
Maxime Esteve's Championship statistics - Burnley squad ranking
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Appearances
Average Passes Per Game
Aerials Won Per Game
Clearances Per Game
Blocks Per Game
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Esteve is under contract at Turf Moor until 2029, and so it will take a huge bid to prise him away from Parker's squad. With just 16 goals conceded in his 46-game campaign in the Championship last time out, it's seen Esteve's stock at an all-time high, and the Toffees could look to splash the cash before a reported £30million-plus price tag rises further.
The Toffees are thought to have been 'very pressing' in their efforts to land Esteve in recent days, alongside Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich also expressing their interest, with former Burnley boss Vincent Kompany now in the dugout at the Allianz Arena.
Esteve scored one goal last season, and registered the most clean sheets of any player in the league, with an astonishing 30 blanks - and having been named in the Championship Team of the Season, he'd be a great commodity in the top-flight, where he has already registered 16 appearances.
For the Toffees, it's another signing that would see the average age of their squad diminish and set them up for the future. Already boasting young duo Jarrad Branthwaite and Jake O'Brien at the back, aged 22 and 24 respectively, Esteve would add to that cohort alongside another former Burnley man in James Tarkowski - which would give Moyes an incredible quartet to work with.
Statistics courtesy of WhoScored. Correct as of 05-06-25.
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