Defender Esteve leaves Burnley to join RB Leipzig

Former France Under-21s defender Maxime Esteve leaves Burnley to join Bundesliga club RB Leipzig for a reported fee of £27.3m.

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.