Vincent Kompany hopes Luca Koleosho can continue to build momentum after an exciting start to his Burnley career.
The winger, who only turned 19 on Friday, was one of Burnley’s star players in the early stages of the season.
The Italy Under-20 international is a summer signing from Spanish side Espanyol and has started all three of Burnley’s league matches this season.
Given the exciting way he has started the season, Kompany suggests that Koleosho will miss out on a starting place in his team.
“We didn’t force him, we had no reason to put him above the others, apart from his performances in training and in matches,” he said.
“The exciting thing is he just turned 19. We won’t base our season on a 19-year-old, but if he plays like he is, we won’t take away his momentum.
Alongside Koleosho, Lyle Foster was the other star player and will look to make it three league goals in as many games when Burnley return to action against Nottingham Forest this evening.
Luca Koleosho of Burnley during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor on September 02, 2023 in Burnley, England.
The 23-year-old, who has also scored for South Africa, initially struggled after his January transfer, but Kompany was always confident the striker would do well.
“That’s why I said it might take six days for some, six months for others,” he said.
“I believe in the players we have, I really do. I believe that with time and opportunity they will perform at Lyle’s level. I think there are more players like him in the squad.
“The most difficult thing is finding the right moment. This is always the trickiest thing. But I am convinced that in the years to come we will conclude that we have recruited very, very good players.
“We’re lucky it’s a good group. We don’t have a lot of outside noise.
We have a very loyal fan base and a city that supports the club and speaks with one voice. We have people within the club who are very calm and work hard. It’s a healthy place.
“Also, there isn’t much space for players to escape. There isn’t much influence from officials or the media who come to Burnley’s training ground to shoot players.
It’s a really great environment to progress and develop. “We know how successful this season would be, but there is an idea that goes much further and we can take the next step in the plan.”
Kompany also hopes the deadline day signing of Mike Tresor can have a similar impact to Koleosho following the winger’s arrival from Genk.
When asked how Tresor is doing since his move, Kompany replied: “Good. It’s a good team to settle into, it’s easy.
“There have been a few new players, so he won’t feel alone in that regard and wants to show his quality to the club and fans.”
Asked if Tresor was likely to play at the City Ground this evening, Kompany concluded: “We’ll see, I won’t reveal anything until this match.”
