Everton manager David Moyes recently attended an EFL Championship game between Burnley and Bristol City to monitor 22-year-old French centre-back Maxime Esteve.
According to an update by Alan Nixon on his Patreon, Maxime Esteve is the subject of interest from Everton. The Toffees are scouring the market for a centre-back heading into the summer transfer window and have set their sights on the Burnley defender. David Moyes recently attended the EFL Championship game between the Clarets and Bristol City to scout the French defensive prospect.
Maxime Esteve and his exploits for Burnley
Maxime Esteve has established himself as one of the best players in the EFL Championship this season. The Frenchman has been with Burnley since January 2024 but could not help the Clarets evade relegation from the Premier League. However, he has been exceptional in the second division in the 2024/25 campaign.
The 22-year-old has played his part in Burnley having by far the best defensive record in the EFL Championship this season. Esteve has turned out over 50 times thus far for the Clarets while chipping in with one goal.
Meanwhile, the highly-rated French defender’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs across Europe. A return to the Premier League might be on the cards for Esteve even if Burnley cannot secure promotion from the EFL Championship, with Everton among the prospective suitors vying for his signature heading into the summer transfer window.
Premier League return on the horizon?
Everton’s interest in Maxime Esteve makes sense. The Toffees are in a spot of bother over Jarrad Branthwaite’s long-term future amid the English defender’s links with Premier League and European bigwigs. In addition, Michael Keane might not be at the Merseyside club beyond the summer transfer window. So, Everton must comb the market for a centre-back in the coming months.
Esteve has thus emerged as a viable option for Everton, with the Merseyside outfit identifying the 22-year-old Frenchman as a priority target for the summer transfer window. The latest update has revealed that David Moyes was in attendance as Burnley beat Bristol City 1-0 this past weekend.
Esteve played his part as the French defender kept a clean sheet and inched closer to clinching promotion to the Premier League. However, it will be interesting to see how much Burnley will demand for the highly-rated centre-back amid his links with David Moyes’s Everton.
