RB Leipzig sign Burnley defender Maxime Estève
RB Leipzig have added defender Maxime Estève to their squad ahead of the new season, signing the former France Under-23 international from English side Burnley on a five-year deal.
Estève made 50 Premier League appearances for Burnley, including 34 last season. The 24-year-old has also gained experience in the English Championship with the Clarets and in Ligue 1 with Montpellier.
"I'm very happy to now be a player for RB Leipzig. The club stands for intense, courageous football, for development and for big ambitions. That's exactly what I want," said Estève of his move to the Red Bull Arena.
He added: "I'm coming to Leipzig to help the team right away, to take on responsibility, and to achieve success together. I learned a lot in France and England, and I want to bring that experience and those qualities to RB Leipzig."
During his two-and-a-half years at Burnley, Estève became a firm fan favourite, making 100 appearances and helping the club secure promotion back to the Premier League at the end of the 2024/25 season. The former Montpellier centre-back also captained the Clarets on occasion last term.
"Signing Maxime is a very important transfer for us. We're delighted to welcome a center-back who, despite his young age, has already gained considerable experience in France and England and has developed impressively at Burnley," commented Leipzig sporting director Marcel Schäfer.
He added: "Maxime is positive in the way he plays, a tough tackler, vocal and brings a huge amount of energy to the pitch."
Esteve becomes Leipzig's third summer signing, following the arrivals of Rocco Reitz and Ota Yanamoto, with the latter set to spend the new season on loan in his native Japan with RB Omiya.
The club are preparing for their first campaign under new head coach Martín Demichelis, who took charge in June after replacing Ole Werner.
Alongside their Bundesliga and DFB Cup campaigns, Leipzig will also compete in the UEFA Champions League in 2026/27 after securing a third-place finish last season.
