Burnley: Mutual consent exit was best for all involved after Turf Moor disappointment | OneFootball

Diego Penny featured in just two league games during his two years at Turf Moor

There have only been a handful of players from Peru to play in the Premier League, although even Burnley fans will be hard pushed to remember they had one of the quintet in their ranks at one point.

While the memory will immediately go to Newcastle United stalwart Nolberto Solano, or maybe even Chelsea’s Claudio Pizarro, former Watford loanee André Carrillo, or Coventry’s Ysrael Zuñiga, few will mention Diego Penny on that list.

After a disastrous debut in the Championship, the Clarets goalkeeper was barely given a chance to redeem himself at Turf Moor, with Brian Jensen taking the gloves and rarely letting them go over the next 24 months.

A return to his homeland would follow after two years in the north west, where he mainly warmed the bench, after joining the club with much higher expectations.

Owen Coyle makes ruthless decision after Diego Penny, Burnley debut

Burnley boss Owen Coyle fought tooth and nail to bring Penny to the club from Peruvian outfit Coronel Bolognesi back in the summer of 2008, with the 24-year-old having made over 140 appearances for the club before moving to England.

The Clarets boss said at the time: "I've been trying since December to sign him. I went over and watched him personally, and he looks a tremendous addition.

"You come in with a level playing field. The bottom line is if you get that jersey it's up to you to make sure you maintain it.

"There'll be real competition for places. We want real competition and strength in depth and we're doing our utmost to make sure that happens."

But a matter of months later, it was a different story at Turf Moor, with Penny losing the trust of his manager with just 90 minutes of English football under his belt, with a humiliating defeat at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday.

In fact, it took just five minutes for the new recruit to have picked the ball out the back of his net twice, with the Owls running riot on the opening day with a 4-1 victory at Hillsborough.

That performance had already left Coyle seeing enough, with the Peruvian not playing another minute for the rest of the campaign, as Burnley went on to earn promotion to the Premier League.

Diego Penny makes brief reappearance before Burnley departure

Things carried on in a much similar fashion in the season to follow, with Jensen [pictured] continuing between the sticks, with Penny getting the nod in a couple of League Cup games, before defeat to Barnsley.

But when the Dane had to leave the field against Wigan Athletic after just 15 minutes in October, Burnley fans must have been fearing the worst, with Penny making his top flight debut with 75 minutes still left on the clock.

The South American failed to fill anyone with confidence as he donned the gloves at Turf Moor against the Latics, and the 1-1 scoreline became two, and then three in the visitors’ favour.

If proof was ever needed of why the Peruvian wasn’t being picked, that was it, and the following summer he was out the door, as his contract was mutually brought to an end, so he could return back to his home continent.

His parting words to the club website were: "I will never forget Burnley because it was a great step up for me.

"It didn't happen for me but I do think I pushed Brian [Jensen, first-choice keeper] to be the best he could and Burnley have benefited from that.

"I am sad I didn't play more times. I think in football the most important thing is playing regularly but I tried to do my best every single day."

What Diego Penny is doing now

Having continued to play back in Peru, Penny is still donning the gloves for Deportivo Garcilaso in his homeland, although the 2024 campaign was something of a rollercoaster.

As Soccerbase eludes to, the goalkeeper was sent off three times in four matches earlier in the year, with a late red card against UTC Cajamarca followed by a seventh-minute dismissal against Cusco soon after.

With that suspension completed, the shot-stopper topped up his time on the sidelines against Alianza Atletico on his return, as he was once again given his marching orders with 12 minutes to play.

He was certainly a character - but not quite a Premier League player - making Diego Penny’s time with Burnley as a puzzling time for all involved.