Burnley star Maxime Esteve has revealed his desire to play for a 'top six' Premier League club after setting defensive records galore in the Championship this season - before detailing his fondness for Tottenham Hotspur, admiring both club legend Gareth Bale and current centre-back star Micky van de Ven.
Esteve started every game for a Burnley side that reached 100 points in the second-tier this season, obliterating the previous Championship record of just 30 goals conceded in an entire campaign by teaming up with England goalkeeper James Trafford and under-21 defender CJ Egan-Riley to let just 16 goals past htem all season - and his 'ridiculous' performances have garnered interest from the Premier League.
The Clarets man was subject of a bid from Spurs in January, though Burnley turned it down amid their title push - and having also been linked with Everton and West Ham United in recent weeks, the former Montpellier man has told of his desire to play for the biggest clubs in the country. Speaking to Footmercato, the Frenchman said:
“When I was young, I dreamed of playing in the Premier League. I watched basically just that on the TV. My dream is to play for a top-six team in England. I wouldn’t say there is any club in particular but my dream is to go there.
“My favourite player [when I was young] was Gareth Bale when he was playing at Tottenham because when I was younger, I was a left-winger and a left-back.
There is a player that I like a lot in the Premier League that not everyone talks about – Micky van de Ven. He is very quick and I like him a lot because I think that I have the same speedy qualities, even if he is a lot quicker. I’m inspired by him because he is a player who is of a similar profile to me."
AC Milan were also credited with wanting the speedy Frenchman, who turned down the chance to play in France's Olympics squad to focus on his club endeavours last summer.