Defender Esteve leaves Burnley to join RB Leipzig

Maxime Esteve in action for Burnley back in May during their unsuccessful Premier League relegation fightImage source, Shutterstock
Image caption,

Maxime Esteve has left Burnley after two and a half years

ByDavid Anderson
BBC Sport England
  • Published

Former France Under-21s defender Maxime Esteve has left Burnley to join Bundesliga club RB Leipzig.

Burnley have agreed a reported fee of £27.3m for Esteve, two years after they paid Montpellier £10.2m to make his loan permanent.

Esteve, 24, was a big success at Turf Moor and key to their 2024-25 Championship-winning campaign under Scott Parker, playing all 46 league games.

The 6ft 4in centre-half initially joined Burnley on loan on transfer deadline day on 1 February 2024, under then manager Vincent Kompany, and made 100 appearances for the Clarets.

Burnley rewarded him for his progress with a five-year deal 12 months ago, but following their third relegation in five years from the Premier League, Esteve heads to a team who finished third in the German top flight last season.

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