After an outstanding campaign in the Championship, Burnley centre-back Maxime Esteve is attracting serious attention from clubs across Europe.
According to L’Equipe, Premier League duo Crystal Palace and Everton, as well as Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, are seriously weighing up a move for the defender.
The 23-year-old joined Burnley on an initial loan deal in January 2024 before making a permanent move to Turf Moor last summer.
He was a rock at the heart of Scott Parker’s backline and helped steer the Clarets to a swift Premier League return. He never missed a game for a Burnley side that conceded just 16 goals.
Esteve helped to keep a staggering 30 clean sheets and won an average of 63% of all his duels (62% in the air and 65% on the ground).
After helping Burnley rack up a century of points en route to the top flight, the French centre-half has become highly sought after, and the Clarets will have a hard time keeping a hold of him.
He signed a deal until 2029 after joining Burnley, but he could be on the move once again.
Despite being just 23, Esteve has shown he’s a natural leader, and that is one of many traits that have piqued the interest of European clubs.
Palace have made him a top target this summer, but they’re not alone in that endeavour.
Fresh off their historic FA Cup triumph, which earned them a spot in next season’s Europa League, the Eagles want to strengthen their squad with players ready to make an immediate impact.
Palace are facing a fight to keep Marc Guehi, who has been strongly linked with a move to Newcastle United, Liverpool, and a return to Chelsea. Esteve could be a decent replacement for the Palace skipper.
Everton are also in the mix. Like Palace, they’re also looking to strengthen and have stepped up their interest in Esteve in recent days.
With Bayern also circling, there could be a three-way bidding war for Esteve, although a reunion with Vincent Kompany in Bavaria could appeal more to the Frenchman.