The minimum price Burnley FC would surely accept for Maxime Esteve | OneFootball

Maxime Esteve has been a rock in defence for Burnley this season, but his performances have attracted top-flight suitors

One of the only remaining good performers from last season's unsuccessful battle to beat the drop in the Premier League, Maxime Esteve, is being courted by several clubs further up the footballing pyramid, Wolves being one of them.

Burnley look like they'll have a fight on their hands to keep hold of their prized defensive asset in January, but with promotion a distinct possibility, they'll hope to convince him to stay at least until the end of the season.

Esteve has been a near ever-present in the Championship for Burnley this season, appearing in each of their 11 games to date, although he hasn't had much continuity in that time as he's played alongside differing partners.

He's struck up a regular partnership with CJ Egan-Riley of late, and the pair have been influential in Burnley's recent defensive success, but if you take Esteve out of that back line, then the Clarets could only watch on as the whole thing crumbles around them.

Everything you'd want of a modern-day centre back, Esteve can offer.

Pace, size, strength, he really has got it all, and to top it off, he's that much sought after left footer, something all clubs want.

Left-footed centre backs are few and far between, it seems, in the modern game, and the balance they bring to a back four can never be underestimated, something Burnley are reaping the rewards of at the moment.

A product of the Montpellier academy, Esteve brings with him that European culture that makes him so relaxed on the ball, and he is certainly a player who could be utilised in a system where a manager wants to dictate play from deep.

But aside from his on the ball qualities, he has the physicality that a lot of European players lack, where he's not afraid to get stuck in and put his body about.

Many a time he will tussle with a striker and, more often than not, it's the 22-year-old coming out on top.

Signed from Montpellier for a reported €15m over the summer after activating a buy clause in his January loan move, it seems unthinkable that after his rapid progress, Burnley would sell for anything less than £30m.

As mentioned above, left-footed centre backs are a rare commodity, and sometimes you can't put a price on the value they bring to a side.

That rings particularly true given Burnley are in the midst of a promotion push, so selling one of their best players would undoubtedly need someone to stump up a huge chunk of money.

£30m would be a ballpark figure that would be a quick and respectable profit for Burnley, and under no pressure to sell players anymore, they've proved they are happy to ask for big money for players, pricing Wolves out of a summer move for Luca Koleosho thanks to a £40m price tag.

That may warn off Esteve's suitors, as having sold Dara O'Shea in the summer for £15m - a man who has a wealth of Premier League experience - clubs may think they can get better value elsewhere.

We've seen Championship stars command big fees over the summer, namely the £40m Georginio Rutter, and with Burnley under no pressure to sell, there's no reason why they should let Esteve leave for any less than £30m.