"Absolute rock" - Burnley FC player's Premier League credentials made clear | OneFootball

The Frenchman has wowed in his first full season at Turf Moor.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Burnley's defence being their best attribute this season has probably shocked a lot of people.

Coming into the new campaign, and even after the transfer window when they'd moved a lot of players on, the embarrassment of riches that the Clarets had in the attacking areas of their squad was a joke.

Players like Luca Koleosho, Lyle Foster and Josh Brownhill all impressed going forward in their previous season in the Premier League, despite the club's relegation. You add the ones they lost to that bunch - including Wilson Odobert and Vitinho - plus the addition of Zian Flemming and you have a very scary prospect for Scott Parker to work with.

Despite all of that, finding the back of the net hasn't been that easy for Burnley, since their opening pair of games, in which they scored nine times. It's been their efforts at the other end of the pitch that have mostly helped them to second place after a dozen games.

They have conceded the fewest goals and kept the most clean sheets in the division, and their goalkeeper, James Trafford, has faced the lowest post-shot expected goals (5.4) of any shot-stopper in the league that has played more than three games, according to FBRef.

This has mainly been down to the defenders in front of him, because he has only prevented 0.4 goals.

One of those members of the Burnley backline, Maxime Esteve, is the first name on the club's teamsheet, according to Football League World's Clarets fan pundit, Nathan Rogers.

Maxime Esteve: The first name on the Burnley teamsheet

Rogers believes that the 22-year-old Frenchman, who has started every Championship game this season, could play as high as the top six in England's top division right now, based on his current form.

He said: "For me, it's Maxime Esteve: he is the first name on the teamsheet every week. He is our absolute rock at the back; the defensive solidity revolves around him. He controls players around him really well, he reads the game really well.

"There's a reason why we've got one of the best defences in the league, and it's no small part to Esteve. He's just a Rolls-Royce of a defender. It sounds cliche, but he really, really is.

"He's arguably one of the best defenders in this league. He'd slot in to any team between the top six in the Championship all the way up to, sort of, the top six in the Premier League. I think he'd fit right in any team in there and not look out of place.

"Esteve starts every game, for me, while he is fit and available to do so."

Burnley will need to be wary of winter interest in Maxime Esteve

As things stand, there have been no reports of interest in the 22-year-old, who Burnley signed for €15 million (~ £12.5 million) back in the last winter window, ahead of January.

They were approached by German club Hoffenheim in the summer about a possible loan-to-buy deal for Esteve, but they ended up holding on to him, which turned out to be a great, big positive for Parker.

One of the Clarets' premier defenders has already been taken from them this season. Dara O'Shea was bought by newly promoted Ipswich Town after his stellar start to the season. He also looked like one of the club's most promising players while they were in the top flight too.

Those high standards of defence are now being delivered by Esteve. Burnley have seen how this can go with O'Shea; they need to try and do everything to make sure that the same doesn't happen with the Frenchman.