Burnley's new football chief Diego Lopez once travelled to 30 countries for one reason

Masquerading as nuanced and objective but always having a bias or ulterior motive behind the writing. Burnley have endured a very poor return to the EFL as The Clarets look set for a relegation battle to avoid dropping from the Premier League to League One in successive seasons - but they do have a new Chief Football Officer in Diego Lopez.

Having succumbed to Premier League relegation last season, Burnley are the latest team to immediately once again struggle back down in the Championship after both Luton Town and then Leicester City fell through the two divisions and into the third-tier in the last couple of seasons. Burnley's 4-1 hammering at the hands of newly-promoted Lincoln City at the weekend led to the sacking of manager Nicky Hayen, which had appeared inevitable for a while.

Hayen was brought into Turf Moor fairly late into the summer after a protracted managerial search, which evidently harmed the club amid a fairly bizarre summer transfer window conducted by the hierarchy, of whom now own Espanyol in La Liga, too. As the club search for an identity and supporters cling onto any reason to be positive, they have now announced the appointment of Diego Lopez as Chief Football Officer.

Diego Lopez has become Chief Football Officer at Burnley Announced on Monday after a weekend that saw the departure of Hayen and Burnley remain three points adrift of safety in the bottom three and the relegation places in the second-tier; Diego Lopez has come into the club hoping to turn their fortunes around. Alan Pace, the man responsible for both Burnley and Espanyol as chairman and co-owner, made it clear in his statement that he wanted someone with a'strong knowledge of European markets'to fulfil the role.

According to the BBC, the appointment has been in the works after Lopez left his role as Sporting Director at Genoa in Serie A in early-October. Lopez is due to be responsible for football operations, recruitment and the sporting structure - therefore leading the search for a manager to replace Hayen.

Diego Lopez travelled to 30 countries in a year as Lille scout Action Images As his career has gone on, Lopez has become a senior football executive at numerous clubs across the continent but he initially started out as a journalist before heading into scouting. At the CEU Cardenal Herrera University in Valencia, Diego Lopez studied journalism and worked at the University's newspaper, El Rotativo, as well as at RadioCEU.

Lopez credits the Uni with helping him earn scholarships at Spanish media outlets Europa Press, Cadena Ser and El Mundo. After making his way through other roles in the media such as becoming the editor of SER Deportivos, Off the Record, PlayFutbol, Hora 25 Deportes and Carrusel Deportivo; jobs at both national and regional level.

In a speech to grade students back at his University, Lopez explained how he sought opportunities within the field and how that gave him his footing in football. Lopez said: "Everything comes from effort and not being still.

Every day I review what I can do better and what goal I have to set for myself. No one has given me anything and they won't do it with you either."