"There's going to be interest" - Burnley FC: Maxime Esteve transfer situation weighed up | OneFootball

Football League World's Burnley fan pundit is not concerned by the chances of Maxime Esteve leaving Turf Moor in January

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Burnley FC have witnessed a lot of changes over the last few months following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season, as former manager Vincent Kompany left for German giants Bayern Munich.

The Clarets replaced Kompany with former Bournemouth and Fulham boss Scott Parker, and have not looked back since after winning 18 points from their opening nine games of the Championship campaign.

Defender Maxime Esteve has been key to the Lancashire outfit's strong start to the second tier season, and boasts a remarkable pass accuracy of 93.9%, as per FotMob, which demonstrates his importance both in and out of possession.

With Esteve at the heart of their defence, the Clarets have conceded just four goals in the Championship this season, while only Sheffield United have conceded fewer.

The former Ligue 1 player and France youth international is currently performing exceptionally in the second tier of English football, and attracted Premier League transfer interest during the summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Burnley fan pundit isn't concerned about further Esteve transfer interest

Football League World's Clarets fan pundit, Nathan Rogers, said: "Maxime Esteve, he's just a Rolls-Royce of a defender.

"He's just brilliant at this level, he's arguably the Championship's best defender.

"In fact, not even arguably, he is the best defender in this league.

"He's far too good for the Championship, he reads the game so well, he makes it (look) so effortless.

"Most of the time for Burnley, he plays in two positions.

"He plays both centre-half positions that we do, he moves around a lot, he pushes people around, and he's just one step ahead of the opposition every single time.

"Every pass that comes in, he reads and breaks it down, every duel he's winning.

"I have no concerns about him leaving in January.

"There's going to be interest in January, don't get me wrong, but as long as we are heading in the right direction in terms of league position and promotion, then I have absolutely no concerns of him leaving in January, and I think we'll get another year out of him in the Premier League unless a silly offer comes in of £30m, £40m, £50m+.

"So, for me, Esteve is going nowhere this season, he's staying with us.

"He speaks like a captain of the club, and he talks so passionately, and he talks so well about the club, and how much he enjoys it here.

"He doesn't seem like the type of person to go against his word like that.

"So, for me, I'm just enjoying him while we've still got him and continue to have him, and I think the Championship should enjoy watching him play as well, because he's just an absolute Rolls-Royce of a defender.

"It's cliché, but I'm yet to see a better centre-half in this division."

Clarets promotion chances look bright

Prior to their relegation from the Premier League to the Championship in 2022, the Clarets enjoyed six consecutive years in the top-flight, and even finished seventh under former manager Sean Dyche following a remarkable 2017/18 season.

Consequently, when the Lancashire outfit drop into the second tier, the Turf Moor faithful expect to see their side pushing for promotion, in a similar manner to that of the 2022/23 campaign in which they won the Championship title thanks to the efforts of previous boss Kompany.

The pressure is undoubtedly on for Parker and co, but a six-game unbeaten run heading into the international break demonstrates that they could have what it takes to secure Premier League football once again come next season.

Their chances of achieving success are significantly bolstered by the presence of Esteve, who is one of the finest centre-halves in the Championship, as alluded to by our Clarets fan pundit.