Burnley are looking for a new manager following Nicky Hayen’s dismissal, but they have already had to adjust their focus after their initial choice dropped out of the running.

Burnley’s experiment with hiring Nicky Hayen ended in ignominy on Saturday, when the Belgian was fired just twelve games into the Clarets’ Championship season after a 4-1 loss to Lincoln. This result placed the club in the Championship relegation zone, with only one win in their first dozen games of the season, and facing a fight to prevent a second consecutive relegation after being relegated from the Premier League at the end of 2025-26.

All of this left Burnley looking for a new manager, and it was stated that the club acted immediately to approach former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Luton Town manager Rob Edwards for the newly vacated role. But Edwards, who had already turned down an approach from the Clarets in the summer, is said to have declined the role for a second time, forcing the club to shift their focus elsewhere in the search for Hayen’s successor.

Diego Lopez is confirmed as the new Burnley CFO as the Clarets turn their attention abroad following Edwards’ snub.

According to the Daily Mail, Burnley have already taken decisive action in their search for a successor to Nicky Hayen at Turf Moor.

They’ve confirmed that the club has hired a new Chief Football Officer, Diego Lopez, as they step up their search for a new manager, and that they’ve looked abroad to fill the position.

Lopez will be in charge of the club’s football operations, recruitment, and sporting structure, areas in which he has previous experience as Sporting Director at Serie A team Genoa. He has also worked as a chief scout for Monaco, Lille, Excelsior Mouscron, and Bordeaux, as well as director of sport at RC Lens.

The incoming CFO will undoubtedly face significant challenges. Burnley were supposed to compete for a rapid return to the Premier League this season after relegation, and there have been rising concerns that the club will follow Leicester City, who have suffered two straight relegations and are currently wallowing in League One.

What are supporters saying about Rob Edwards’ Burnley rejection?

Rob Edwards’ decision not to reject down a transfer to Turf Moor for the second time in 2026 has sparked a lot of discussion on social media, and here’s a selection of what’s been written about it.

This fan thinks Edwards would be a fantastic fit for a Championship position that hasn’t yet become available:

https://x.com/PhilStace1980/status/2114820878332825738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2114820878332825738%7Ctwgr%5E336534eb5fc5e9a5600c3e2329454719ccffc702%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffootballleagueworld.co.uk%2Fnew-burnley-manager-possibility-emerges-after-rob-edwards-twist%2F

Burnley’s trial with Nicky Hayen failed after a defeat at Lincoln City. Prior to his appointment at Turf Moor, the Belgian coach had achieved success with Club Brugge, winning the Belgian Pro League in 2024 and the Belgian Cup in 2025, but he struggled to establish a winning formula in the Championship.

However, Rob Edwards is not the only manager who has distanced himself from the empty role in the last few days. The team was also interested in former West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan, although Corberan has since stated that he is not interested because he is seeking a new role in the Premier League.

To turn things around at Turf Moor, new CFO Diego Lopez and the as-yet-unknown next manager will undoubtedly have their hands full. Burnley is 22nd in the Championship with one win from their first twelve League games of the season, and they were knocked out of the EFL Cup in August on penalty kicks by League One Bradford City. It’s been more than a year since their last home league win, which came against Leeds United on October 18, 2025.

Whoever occupies the role will need to move quickly. Morale at the club has plummeted, and the Clarets now trail by three points in the Championship table. If that deficit widens significantly, preventing a second consecutive relegation will become very difficult.

There are still plenty of possibilities for the vacant role, with former Liverpool player Steven Gerrard still the favourite. Gerrard has been out of work since being dismissed of his duties by Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettqifaq in January 2025. Rob Edwards provided significant Championship experience, and that lack of experience may be what tempts Burnley to seek beyond Gerrard. However, Nicky Hayen, a manager with no prior experience in English football, failed at Turf Moor, and the Clarets cannot afford to make the same mistake twice, literally or figuratively.