Maxime Estève: Who is RB Leipzig’s new French defender?
Brought to England by Vincent Kompany, and now on the books of RB Leipzig – get to know French defender Maxime Estève.
Stats correct as of 15 July
Maxime Estève
Age: 24 (born 26 May 2002)
Club: RB Leipzig
Position: Centre-back
Country: France
Key stats
Estève came through the youth system in France, spending his formative years in Montpellier’s academy. After impressing for the club’s second team, he made his senior debut against Marseille at just 19, starting the season opener of the Ligue 1 2021/22 campaign at centre-back.
At Montpellier, Estève made 62 appearances and scored once before joining Burnley on loan. Despite the Clarets' relegation from the Premier League, he completed a permanent move and helped them earn an immediate return, playing a key role in a defence that conceded just 16 league goals and earning a place in the Championship Team of the Season.
Across his time at Turf Moor, the former France youth international made 100 appearances, including 50 in England's top flight, before switching to Leipzig on a five-year deal in July 2026.
Plays a bit like: Nico Schlotterbeck
Estève is a powerful left-footed centre-back, just like Borussia Dortmund’s defensive lynchpin, but the comparisons don’t end there. The two players are a very similar height, and if anything, Estève has a slightly more imposing build.
Although Estève might not have quite the same passing range as Schlotterbeck, he too can spread the play effectively from the back.
Did you know?
Estève was brought to England by Kompany, who signed the defender on loan during Burnley's fight against the drop in what proved to be the Belgian's final season before taking charge of Bayern Munich.
Despite Burnley's relegation to the Championship, Estève quickly became a fans' favourite, earning the affectionate nickname "Steve".
What they’re saying
"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." - Marcel Schäfer, Leipzig managing director for sport
“Aggressive, front foot, wants to win every duel, good left foot, very fast. It’s a good starting point.” - ex-Burnley manager Kompany after Estève's debut
