Recent David Moyes claims make Burnley promotion more important than ever | OneFootball

David Moyes reportedly watched Esteve last month, which will surely mean Burnley must get promoted if they want to retain the centre back.

With Everton boss David Moyes understood to have watched Burnley centre-back Maxime Esteve in their 1-0 win over Bristol City at the end of March, it has now become vitally important that the Clarets achieve promotion to the Premier League if they want to keep one of their key performers.

According to Alan Nixon, Moyes made a personal visit to watch the Frenchman at Turf Moor last month.

Remarkably, Burnley kept their 28th clean sheet of the season in that game, a total which is seven clear of Leeds United, who are their closest challengers in that department.

Scott Parker’s men have capitalised on the Whites’ struggles of late, and now sit at the top of the Championship table with just six games to play.

However, it feels imperative that Burnley go on and win promotion at the end of the season, or they could lose several of their key men (including Esteve), just as they did over the course of last summer.

Moyes has watched Esteve, who has been excellent this season

Having shipped a scarcely believable total of just 12 league goals all season, it is little surprise that Premier League clubs are taking interest in members of Burnley’s backline.

Esteve is the latest to catch the eye of a top-flight boss, with Moyes seemingly keen on bringing the defender to Merseyside in the summer.

The Scotsman has overseen a quick turnaround since taking over for his second spell at Goodison Park, and has lost just once in the 11 games since he stepped back into the dugout with the Toffees.

With that in mind, it looks likely that he will be well-backed by the club’s hierarchy over the summer, if he is able to find the right players for the club.

Such has been the strength of his performances this season, it comes as no surprise that Esteve is one of the players who could find himself on Moyes’ summer shopping list.

The centre-back has been a vital cog in the Clarets’ success, having started all 40 of their league games so far.

He has been a commanding presence at the heart of Parker’s defence, and his tally of 81 successful aerial duels is higher than any other member of Burnley’s rear guard.

Moyes has had success shopping in the Championship in the past, having previously unearthed the likes of Tim Cahill and Jarrod Bowen. If Burnley fail to get over the line and secure promotion, Esteve could be the next to make the step-up and join a Moyes side.

Promotion will be key for Burnley

It has become extremely common for Championship clubs to get raided by Premier League outfits over the last few years and, if Burnley end up playing second tier football again next season, it could result in several key players departing.

The Clarets have shifted their focus over the last few seasons, having made a clear effort to take on more youthful, European talent. However, with that being the case, it’s usually only a matter of time before bigger clubs come calling.

While Esteve is the latest to attract interest from the division above, Luca Koleosho and James Trafford have also been subject to interest since the turn of the year.

The Lancashire outfit lost a worrying total of 20 players after their relegation from the top flight last summer. The last thing that Parker and the rest of the club’s hierarchy will want is to experience a similar mass exodus this time around.

That is where promotion could ultimately hold the key. While being in the top-flight would offer no guarantees of keeping some of their more impressive talents, it would at least give them a little more say in any potential negotiations.

Ultimately, young and talented players tend to have lofty ambitions and want to play at the highest level as quickly as possible, so being able to offer Premier League football could provide Burnley with the vital edge to potentially keep some of their star men.