Everton have made an approach to sign Nottingham Forest and Burnley target Maxime Esteve, currently plying his trade at Montpellier, per the Daily Mail.
The newspaper reported on 27 January that Burnley have stepped up their pursuits to sign the 21-year-old with a £10.2million bid.
Montpellier have already turned down a bid from Nottingham Forest for the French centre-back this month.
Move on
Burnley’s bid for Esteve highlights the intense competition for the promising Montpellier centre-back.
At just 21 years old, the Frenchman has emerged as one of his country’s brightest defensive talents, attracting interest from several clubs.
However, Montpellier’s reluctance to sell and their rejection of bids from other suitors indicate their determination to retain Esteve at least until the end of the season.
For Everton, pursuing Esteve amidst stiff competition and Montpellier’s firm stance could lead to a protracted and ultimately unsuccessful pursuit.
The French side’s rejection of previous offers suggests they are unlikely to entertain the Toffees’ advances, making it a challenging and potentially fruitless endeavour for the club.
Given everything going on with their takeover saga and the shortage of finances at the club, a centre-back is not really a priority.
Both James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite are unlikely to leave in January so this can be considered in the summer.
