Ligue 1: Montpellier is not considering the departure of its defender Maxime Estève this winter

Après une première partie d'année 2023 compliquée, Maxime Estève a retrouvé sa place et son niveau au MHSC. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

Le jeune défenseur central montpelliérain intéresse le club anglais de Burnley. Mais à ce jour, le MHSC ne serait pas prêt à le céder. 

Neither last winter nor this winter. Montpellier would once again close the door to a transfer of young central defender Maxime Estève, according to our information.

The Hérault player is still in the sights of English clubs. As announced Monday by l'Equipe, Burnley, penultimate in the Premier League, has expressed its interest in the international Espoirs, aged 21 and linked until June 2025.

At the previous winter transfer window, the English managers of Nottingham Forest had made an offer to secure the services of the left-hander, but Montpellier had already vetoed his departure in the middle of the race for maintenance .

Before hosting Lille on Sunday January 28 at La Mosson, during the 19th day of Ligue 1, Michel Der Zakarian's team is only two points ahead of the play-off player, Lyon.  And, in the middle of the African Cup of Nations (January 13 – February 11), the Montpellier technician only has three central defenders on hand: Becir Omeragic, Christopher Jullien and therefore Estève. To occupy the three places of a reinforced axis since the trip to Monaco (2-0) on December 3.

Competition for possible replacement Raux Yao

Disturbed all last summer by the various contacts (Bruges, Udinese, AC Milan) and his aborted transfer, Estève had lost the confidence of Der Zak. After making his mea culpa in September, he put his head back in the right place to find a starting place, he confided at the start of the season. A restart which once again caught the eye of English recruiters.

To anticipate a possible departure, Montpellier would be closely interested in the central defender of Rodez (L2) Serge-Philippe Raux Yao, free next June and very convincing for two years in Aveyron. The only problem is that he is not alone in following the Franco-Ivorian giant (1.97 m, 24 years old), trained in Auxerre and passed through Bruges. Another L1 club as well as Copenhagen, eighth finalist in the Champions League, would be on the lookout.