Crystal Palace will reportedly have to fork out a club-record fee to sign Burnley defender Maxime Esteve.
The French centre-back was virtually an ever-present for Scott Parker’s Clarets last season, playing a key role in their promotion to the Premier League. He was part of a defence that shipped just 16 goals, the best record in EFL Championship history.
The 23-year-old arrived at Turf Moor from Montpellier initially in early 2024 before joining permanently for a reported £12.5m in the summer. He only signed a new five-year deal in September, keeping him tied to the club until 2029, but his excellent displays in England have alerted several top clubs.
Crystal Palace Told To Pay £50M For Esteve
Steve Parish will have to shatter Eagles’ transfer record
Football Insider reports that Palace are one of the clubs showing an interest in Esteve following his exploits in the 2024-25 campaign. Burnley are said to be confident that their £50m valuation of the two-cap France U20 international will fend off potential suitors.
There are set to be many changes made to Oliver Glasner’s squad this summer following their historic FA Cup triumph. They will, as things stand, be playing Europa League football next season, and their Austrian manager will reportedly be backed with four ‘big’ signings.
A new defender is expected to arrive, and Esteve, who the PSFA call ‘exceptional’, is on their wishlist, although they face competition from Everton and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. Vincent Kompany was in charge when the defender joined the Clarets in February 2024.
If Palace are willing to meet the Frenchman’s price tag, they will break their transfer record set in 2016 when they paid £27m for Christian Benteke. It would also be a similar amount to the £50.8m record sale of Michael Olise to Bayern last summer.
| Maxime Esteve Stats (Championship 2024-25) | |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 46 |
| Goals: | 1 |
| Assists: | 0 |
| Interceptions: | 0.8 |
| Tackles per game: | 1.0 |
| Balls recovered per game: | 3.7 |
| Clearances: | 5.0 |
Marc Guehi’s future has been the subject of speculation throughout the season, following Newcastle United’s failed attempts to secure the English defender with three bids last summer. The Magpies offered up to £60m for the 24-year-old, who has been a standout performer under Glasner.
It’s still a possibility that Guehi leaves Selhurst amid interest from former club Chelsea, and GIVEMESPORT sources indicate that the Blues are working on a cut-price deal. He’s valued at £70m and, if sold, will need replacing.
