Burnley sell star defender to RB Leipzig in £21m transfer following relegation from Premier League

Leipzig managing director for sport Marcel Schafer expressed his delight at the club's success in securing the signature of Esteve, who is deemed to possess an extraordinary combination of physicality, character, and leadership spirit.

In his statement to the club's official website, Schafer said: "Signing Maxime is a hugely important move for us. We’re delighted to be bringing in a centre-back who, despite still being young, has already gained plenty of experience in France and England and made impressive strides during his time at Burnley.

"He has many of the qualities we were looking for in this position: height, athleticism, a strong left foot, confidence in possession and the ability to step out and defend proactively. Maxime is positive in the way he plays, a tough tackler, vocal and brings a huge amount of energy to the pitch.

"He is also a natural leader. He communicates constantly, organises those around him and takes responsibility, while off the pitch he is very clear-minded and thoughtful. That combination of quality, character and mentality makes him an excellent fit for RB Leipzig. We’re convinced Maxime can make an immediate impact and play an important role in our team."

The 193cm-tall defender, who was previously named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year when leading Burnley promotion to the Premier League, admitted he feels highly challenged by the massive ambitions driven by Die Roten Bullen.

Esteve stated: "I’m delighted to be an RB Leipzig player. The club stands for high-intensity, fearless football, continuous progress and big ambitions. That suits me perfectly.

"I’ve come to Leipzig to make an immediate contribution, take on responsibility and achieve success together with the team. I learnt a great deal in France and England, and I now want to bring that experience and those qualities to RB Leipzig.

"The talks with the club were extremely convincing. I could tell that there is a clear plan for me here. I’m now looking forward to meeting the team and the fans. Together, we want to enjoy success in the Champions League, the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal."

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