Tottenham source reveals ‘truth’ behind Maxime Esteve transfer talks
Tottenham have been linked with a move for Burnley centre-back Maxime Esteve this summer.
The French defender joined the Clarets from Montpellier in 2024 and has been a first-team regular for them since.
The 23-year-old came up the ranks at the French club and Burnley are the only other club he’s played his senior football at.
Spurs are not in transfer talks with Burnley
L’Equipe journalist Loic Tanzi reported on 9 July that Spurs were in talks with Burnley for the defender.
With Thomas Frank keen on Tottenham signing new defenders, Esteve has emerged as a target given his £25.8million price tag.
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnley | 64 | 1 | – |
| Montpellier | 62 | 1 | 1 |
However, Paul O Keefe, given his close ties to the club, has categorically denied these claims.
No talks have been opened by the North London club, but it remains to be seen if Esteve is a legitimate target this summer.
Tottenham can do much better than Esteve this summer
Esteve should not be signed by Tottenham as he does not represent an upgrade over Micky van de Ven or Cristian Romero, both of whom are elite centre-backs proven at the Premier League and European levels.
While impressive in the Championship with Burnley, he lacks the top-tier experience required for the Champions League, where Spurs will face world-class opponents next season.
Van de Ven’s exceptional pace and recovery ability, combined with Romero’s aggressive defending and line-breaking passes, set a high bar that Esteve does not match.
Tottenham’s defensive injury concerns necessitate a high-calibre addition, not a developmental prospect like Esteve, who has only one goal and limited Premier League exposure.
With a surplus of centre-backs already, Spurs should prioritise proven, Champions League-ready defenders to bolster their backline for the competition.
Hopefully, there are better defenders that are on the shortlist and work needs to have begun on signing at least two of them so that one can be finalised before the start of the season.
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