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SportsBILD: RB Leipzig sign Burnley defender Maxime Estéve for €25m; Lukeba or Bitshiabu to leave
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RB Leipzig are set to sign French central defender Maxime Estéve from Burnley for a base fee of €25 million, according to BILD. The 24-year-old left-footer started 34 Premier League matches last season. The transfer comes as a surprise because Leipzig originally planned to wait until either Castello Lukeba or El Chadaille Bitshiabu left the club. However, fearing the deal might fall through, Leipzig accelerated the move. The arrival of Estéve forces one of the two existing French left-sided center-backs to leave. The ideal scenario for Leipzig is selling Lukeba for a fee well above his €50 million market value. If no buyer is found, Lukeba could stay as a starter. Bitshiabu, who arrived from Paris for €15 million three years ago, would drop to third choice behind Lukeba and Estéve, making his departure inevitable. Bitshiabu wanted to leave in the winter but was blocked; now the club will not stand in his way as his development has stagnated. New coach Martin Demichelis began summer preparations on Monday without Estéve.
Source report
Summer preparations at RB Leipzig officially begin today, Monday. New coach Martin Demichelis (45) will step onto the pitch with his team for the first time this afternoon – still without Maxime Estéve (24).
The central defender is, however, on the verge of moving from Burnley to Saxony. Although the deal is not yet fully completed, Leipzig and the English club have fundamentally agreed, according to BILD information.
For the French left-footer, who started 34 times in the Premier League last season, a base transfer fee of €25 million is expected to be paid. A good deal by sporting director Marcel Schäfer (42), which still comes as a surprise.
A Frenchman Must Leave
Originally, RB wanted to wait to enter the transfer market until either Castello Lukeba (23) or El Chadaille Bitshiabu (21), the regular left-sided central defenders, left the club.
Castello Lukeba (23) is considered a sale candidate at RB Leipzig. Photo: picture alliance/ZB
While there have been no concrete offers for the two Frenchmen so far, according to BILD information, Leipzig could no longer wait for Estéve. The fear that the deal might otherwise fall through was too great.
Consequence: A new Frenchman arrives, an old one MUST leave!
The bosses' ideal scenario would be selling Lukeba for a fee well above his market value (€50 million). If no buyer is found willing to pay that sum, another season as a starting defender is possible. His contract in Leipzig runs until 2029 – just like Bitshiabu's.
El Chadaille Bitshiabu (21) during the fitness test in Leipzig on Saturday. Photo: RB Leipzig/Motivio
He arrived three years ago as a promising talent from Paris for €15 million. However, behind Lukeba and Estéve, he would only be number three. Too little for his ambitions. A departure in the summer would be inevitable.
Bitshiabu already wanted to leave in the winter but was not allowed to. Now, the bosses at RB Leipzig would certainly no longer stand in his way – also because his development has recently stagnated.
Source
BILD - SportWestern
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RB Leipzig Nears €25-32M Signing of Burnley Defender Maxime Estève