‘In Talks’ – Club Making Efforts To Land Burnley Star | OneFootball

Carl Recine/Getty Images

Bundesliga club RB Leipzig have submitted a bid for Burnley defender Maxime Esteve and are ‘in talks’ with the Clarets to wrap up a deal.

The 24-year-old initially arrived at Turf Moor on loan from Montpellier during the 2024 winter transfer window before the move was made permanent that summer.

The centre-back played a key role in helping the Clarets secure a return to the Premier League, but then could not help them stay up.

With Burnley now having been relegated, there are question marks over Esteve’s future and the 24-year-old has been tipped to move on.

He caught the eye even in the Championship and was dubbed a ‘pure Rolls-Royce’ by one former star, who predicted he would become a wanted man.

Now there is movement which could lead to the defender leaving Turf Moor.

According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, RB Leipzig have now submitted a bid for Esteve as they push to secure his signature.

The offer is worth €26m including bonuses and the two clubs are now ‘in talks’ over getting the deal over the line.

It is suggested that RB Leipzig do not anticipate any issues when it comes to agreeing personal terms with Esteve.

Esteve still has four years left on his Burnley contract, but it would likely be a surprise if he stayed at the club beyond this summer.

Even if their opening bid is rejected, Leipzig are unlikely to walk away from the pursuit, with current centre-back Castello Lukeba widely expected to leave this summer.

Esteve clocked 3,118 minutes across 36 appearances in the recent season, giving RB Leipzig a good opportunity to assess him.

The German giants have seen enough to want to bring Esteve to the Bundesliga.

Another Burnley centre-back, Hjalmar Ekdal, has attracted interest from FC Copenhagen, although discussions have yet to progress.