Exclusive: Lee Hendrie drops Burnley FC, Alan Pace "regret" claim as Bayern Munich transfer stance emerges | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie spoke exclusively to FLW about Luca Koleosho, and whether Burnley may regret not cashing in on the winger

Sky Sports pundit and former Aston Villa defender Lee Hendrie believes Burnley chairman Alan Pace will "regret" not cashing in on Luca Koleosho, who gained significant summer transfer interest but has flattered to deceive in the Championship this season.

Pace undertook a fire-sale of Burnley's prized assets during the closing stages of the summer window, which saw the likes of Wilson Odobert, Sander Berge, Dara O'Shea, Arijanet Muric and Anass Zaroury all depart for large sums, leaving the Clarets able to eventually collect more than £100 million if varied add-on criteria are met.

However, Burnley stopped short of sanctioning a sale of Koleosho, who impressed in their relegation campaign from the Premier League and scored twice before suffering a season-ending injury in December.

The pacey winger, who hails from the United States but represents Italy at youth international level, was courted by a number of top-flight sides. As per reports, Wolves lodged a £25 million bid for the 20-year-old but walked away after Burnley made it clear they were holding out for £40 million just over a year after signing Koleosho in a cut-price £2.6 million deal from Espanyol.

Koleosho himself is said to have wanted the move. Meanwhile, the likes of Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and Crystal Palace were also linked to his signature after the window concluded, where Burnley tied him down to a fresh five-year contract.

It was reported that Bayern Munich, now managed by the head coach who first took Koleosho to Turf Moor in Vincent Kompany, had held an interest in acquiring the forward.

However, a recent report from Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg has revealed that Bayern's interest has now cooled with the German giants focusing on other wingers, even though Kompany still considers Koleosho an "exciting prospect".

Lee Hendrie's Burnley FC, Alan Pace transfer regret claim amid Bayern Munich's fresh Luca Koleosho stance

Hendrie believes that Burnley will regret not cashing in on Koleosho last summer, with the winger enduring a difficult campaign in the Championship despite the Clarets' ongoing promotion push.

Koleosho has been in and out of the team under Scott Parker and, considering just how this season has played out for the ex-Espanyol talent, it's hard to dismiss the feeling of regret Burnley may be left with now.

"It seems that Bayern have cooled their interest on Koleosho for Burnley," Hendrie explained when speaking exclusively to Football League World.

"Obviously when you look at the times where players and teams are in decent form and there's the interest of clubs coming in, when you reject big money you're expecting the player to kick on and have that gamble-effect.

"He hasn't fulfilled what he can achieve this season.

"It's a gamble in football isn't it, you reject big fees and you want to keep your prized assets for reasons to take the club forward. I think at times you need to cash in to invest and bring other players in, but I think with the squad Burnley had, they felt he was going to be key in taking them forward.

"Obviously they will regret not cashing in, but I'm sure they will expect Koleosho, knowing he's got ability, to kick on and rekindle his form."

Luca Koleosho's 24/25 season for Burnley FC

Koleosho was poised to play a leading role in the Championship after displaying such promising signs for a struggling top-flight side, but this season simply hasn't gone according to the script.

The Italy youth international made a strong start to the campaign by scoring in early-season victories over Cardiff City and Leeds United. Remarkably, though, he hasn't found the back of the net since scoring the winner at Elland Road all the way back in September, and has fallen down Parker's pecking order in recent months.

Koleosho, who spent February sidelined with injury, has not started a league fixture since the stalemate draw with Stoke City on New Year's Day. He has made just 19 Championship starts overall, returning two goals and no assists in that time.

It has been an underwhelming impact for a player with all the natural, X-Factor ability to light up the second-tier on his day, and who Burnley rejected sizable sums for. Bayern's withdrawal of interest is now the latest frustration with Koleosho, though it's easy to see why clubs have now seemingly taken a step back from the wide-man.