Assignon & Esteve

[CaptJohn]

I know both are loanees but they've settled very well into the Premier league and have certainly contributed to our upturn in results. Assignon has great energy and skill, almost like Maatsen and Esteve is tenacious. I just wonder if there is any news as to making their deals permanent because I'd be happy with both, whichever league we find ourselves in?

[Bosscat]

Would be good to see them both playing in BFC shirts next season

[Stayingup]

Along with Berge two very good signings. Agree with your wish that we can sign them both on permanent deals.

[Cleveleys_claret]

Agreed and one of the biggest things I have noticed since Christmas is how much better we look defending corners

[IanMcL]

Esteve very calm and Assignon is better than Maatsen

[Burnley1989]

Assignon is better than Maatsen

Not so sure about that one

[fidelcastro]

I know both are loanees but they've settled very well into the Premier league and have certainly contributed to our upturn in results. Assignon has great energy and skill, almost like Maatsen and Esteve is tenacious. I just wonder if there is any news as to making their deals permanent because I'd be happy with both, whichever league we find ourselves in?

According to the oracle that is AGENT_CLARET they're done deals.

[fidelcastro]

Not so sure about that one

I am. He's nowhere near as good as Maatsen.

[agreenwood]

Matt Williams gave an interview to Radio Lancs in early Feb and said Esteve will become permanent in the summer regardless of the division we’re in.

Assignon’s clause only kicks in if we stay up he said. Think it was reported separately as €10m. If we go down it’s hard to see him wanting to play in the Championship or us forking out the kind of money he’ll go for after a decent debut season in the PL. You’d imagine he may have a few suitors amongst the lower echelons of the PL or in decent leagues in Europe. He was headed to Galatasaray before we nipped in and his stock had probably risen a bit since January.

[Burnley1989]

I am. He's nowhere near as good as Maatsen.

I was trying to be polite

[IanMcL]

Not so sure about that one

He has joy in his game.

[FCBurnley]

A goal and an assist in a PL game from a young full back is pretty special

[burnley007]

Assignon seems to be enjoying playing for us.
Even if we go down, we'll still be attractive to a lot of players.
Most will expect us to come straight back up playing good football.

[CoolClaret]

Esteve is our player regardless next season (thankfully) and has gone from strength to strength with each appearance. He will be a top player imo and seems like a really great lad.

Assignon had an impressive game yesterday and has brought a new edge to our team. He's quite different from Maatsen as a player; more physical and a quicker, more direct dribbler, though he lacks Maatsen's vision and passing range. If he can reduce the play-acting aspect of his game, I'd warm to him even more. Nevertheless, his addition (and Esteve's) has definitely improved us.

[agreenwood]

Esteve’s a budding leader too. Whilst his teammates were celebrating the third goal he was going round them all telling them to focus (or something similar). Seen him do it quite a bit.

Nice to see. We don’t appear to have too many of those vocal leaders in the side.

[Targetman]

Matt Williams gave an interview to Radio Lancs in early Feb and said Esteve will become permanent in the summer regardless of the division we’re in.

Assignon’s clause only kicks in if we stay up he said. Think it was reported separately as €10m. If we go down it’s hard to see him wanting to play in the Championship or us forking out the kind of money he’ll go for after a decent debut season in the PL. You’d imagine he may have a few suitors amongst the lower echelons of the PL or in decent leagues in Europe. He was headed to Galatasaray before we nipped in and his stock had probably risen a bit since January.

Matt Williams didn't quite say that in his interview.

He didn't say that Esteve will become a permanent signing, however he did say that whichever division we are in Esteve will be here with us again next season.

Maybe its a 2 season loan?

[Ilkley claret]

Hopefully they will be attracted by being part of our French Connection, along with Wilson.

[ArmchairDetective]

Esteve will be here regardless. No guarantees with Assignon but led to believe there's more chance of him staying with us next season than you'd think.

[dougcollins]

Esteve’s a budding leader too. Whilst his teammates were celebrating the third goal he was going round them all telling them to focus (or something similar). Seen him do it quite a bit.

Nice to see. We don’t appear to have too many of those vocal leaders in the side.

Yep. He was the one to console Muric after his disaster at TM and basically say forget it and get on with the game.

[superdimitri]

I don't really understand why everyone thinks it's not going possible to sign Assignon. His wages at Rennes will be peanuts compared to many of our older players. It should be easy to sign him either on loan again or permanently. Especially if he buys into the project.

Rennes did will last season but after losing Doku they've only been mid table this year. They are probably not paying many of their players more than $15000 a week.

[spt_claret]

Esteve is our player regardless next season (thankfully) and has gone from strength to strength with each appearance. He will be a top player imo and seems like a really great lad.

Assignon had an impressive game yesterday and has brought a new edge to our team. He's quite different from Maatsen as a player; more physical and a quicker, more direct dribbler, though he lacks Maatsen's vision and passing range. If he can reduce the play-acting aspect of his game, I'd warm to him even more. Nevertheless, his addition (and Esteve's) has definitely improved us.

Yeah this is pretty close to my assessment. Assignon does invert but not as much as Maatsen or in the same way, very neat dribbler who likes to beat a man and weave through the box rather than drift into space inside near the area. His attitude does bother me, he'll commit petulant or sloppy fouls but also play act a lot (see also Odobert for the latter). Defensively I think he's incredibly suspect, on the attack he's very effective, he's a strange fullback in that he's not at all got the conventional attributes of one. I think he's best with Vitinho ahead because even if Vitinho isn't defensively great either he's still better than our other RW options at it and is a clever off the ball mover who can drop in to cover. Would imagine Assignon would link well with JBG for the same reason if given time, although JBG has less pace.
At 10m I feel like there's better options but we're also paying the premium on potential.

Esteve -.he's a very solidly average lower Prem CB, which for his age is fantastic. Think AADs a bit of a forgotten man who could still be very good, that Ekdal still has a huge ceiling as he's younger than people think, and Beyer if he can recover from his injury fully will be great (he struggled early doors but so did O'Shea, crying shame we didn't get to see him develop this year and think it's cost us). Basically we're pretty blessed for riches in "solid young/youngish CB with high potential"

[NewClaret]

Yeah this is pretty close to my assessment. Assignon does invert but not as much as Maatsen or in the same way, very neat dribbler who likes to beat a man and weave through the box rather than drift into space inside near the area. His attitude does bother me, he'll commit petulant or sloppy fouls but also play act a lot (see also Odobert for the latter). Defensively I think he's incredibly suspect, on the attack he's very effective, he's a strange fullback in that he's not at all got the conventional attributes of one. I think he's best with Vitinho ahead because even if Vitinho isn't defensively great either he's still better than our other RW options at it and is a clever off the ball mover who can drop in to cover. Would imagine Assignon would link well with JBG for the same reason if given time, although JBG has less pace.
At 10m I feel like there's better options but we're also paying the premium on potential.

Esteve -.he's a very solidly average lower Prem CB, which for his age is fantastic. Think AADs a bit of a forgotten man who could still be very good, that Ekdal still has a huge ceiling as he's younger than people think, and Beyer if he can recover from his injury fully will be great (he struggled early doors but so did O'Shea, crying shame we didn't get to see him develop this year and think it's cost us). Basically we're pretty blessed for riches in "solid young/youngish CB with high potential"

It’s strange seeing such a varying view re: Assingnon to my own and makes me wonder if I’m missing something as I think he’s been very decent defensively.

In terms of the Maatsen debate, I would say Maatsen is quicker and more technical but I am remembering him against much lower quality and slower opposition. I think Assingnon is a better defender though. Sort of a Charlie/Maatsen cross … which is just what I think we need actually.

I take the points from you and Cool on the fouls and play acting. I think with our new players from abroad Vinny needs to tell them that we don’t like that stuff at Burnley. I think other clubs fans would probably be more accepting of it but it doesn’t go down well here (and rightly so).

Thought Saturday was his best game for us as you’d perhaps expect given the opposition. At 23 I think he’s a great prospect and would be delighted if ArmchairDetective was right and we have a half a chance of signing him in summer.

Esteve is a class act and our best defender now, I think, which as you say is fantastic given his age.

[willsclarets]

Not so sure about that one

Not even in the same postcode of ability

[alwaysaclaret]

Agreed and one of the biggest things I have noticed since Christmas is how much better we look defending corners

Absolutely agree, but muric has also had a hand in this

[Darnhill Claret]

Assignon does have a similar instinct to find an opportunity in another area of the pitch which VK's system allows, so Assignon and Maatsen are both likely to make a goalscoring play or assist where an 'old fashioned' full back might not. Trent also has this instinct, but does it in a more advanced starting role now, usually.

[spt_claret]

It’s strange seeing such a varying view re: Assingnon to my own and makes me wonder if I’m missing something as I think he’s been very decent defensively.

I think he likes a tackle (sometimes too much) but I think positionally he's very naive and shaky defensively, quite easily bypassed or exposed. A big part of it is the playstyle meaning he's usually miles up the pitch, and age will be part of it too but I think he leaves us vulnerable at times. Everyone we've tried at RB has this season at various points so it's not like he's an exception, I just don't think he's improved us defensively at RB which we could have done with. On his debut I thought he was going to, and think he can still develop a ton, just personal opinion on where he's at right now.