'Good starting point': Burnley boss Vincent Kompany evaluates Maxime Esteve's promising debut

The 21-year-old impressed on his Clarets debut at the weekend, coming off the bench at half-time during the 2-2 draw with Fulham.

Kompany’s men were trailing by two goals at the time, but the French centre-back helped the home side get back on track and seal a late point thanks to David Fofana’s heroics.

It left Kompany understandably delighted with the impact of Burnley’s deadline day recruit.

“Aggressive, front foot, wants to win every duel, good left foot, very fast. It’s a good starting point,” he said.

“We’re very fortunate to be able to recruit him. These kinds of players, they can also decide to go somewhere else.

“But he’s a Burnley player now and the message he gives is that he’s ready to put it all on the line and that’s what we need.”

During Saturday’s post-match press conference, Kompany was also asked about Esteve by Hughie Higginson.

The inspirational fundraiser was the club’s special guest on Saturday alongside family members and close friends Freddie Xavi to mark the end of his cancer treatment.

Hughie mischievously asked if Esteve could go on to become as good as the serial winner now in charge of the Turf Moor dugout - and for a moment Kompany was left stumped.

“Best question of the night!,” the Clarets boss replied.

“Could he be as good as me? My goodness. You’ve put me on the ropes there.

“I was good, but I had one thing right? I had incredible, incredible desire to work hard, to do well and make sure everyone around me worked hard.

“You know what I was, mentally I was a machine.

“If there is one trait I see him before we judge the footballer, it’s that side of it. Unless you have that in you, you don’t come on with 45 minutes left to play as a centre back and have a positive impact.

“I will finish it this way, it will be tough but as a Burnley manager I can only hope he will.”