Burnley: Former Haverfordwest County and Club Brugge boss in manager talks 

Burnley are reportedly in talks with former Haverfordwest County manager Nicky Hayen over becoming the club’s new head coach.

The Clarets have been searching for a new manager since Scott Parker was dismissed at the end of April. Welsh national team boss Craig Bellamy had been heavily linked with the role, and a move to Turf Moor appeared imminent before talks broke down at the eleventh hour.

According to former Sky Sports journalist Pete O’Rourke, Burnley have now turned their attention to Hayen. Discussions are said to be progressing well, with the Belgian highly regarded in his homeland following his spell in charge of Club Brugge.

The former Haverfordwest County coach Nicky Hayen is reportedly in advanced talks to become the new manager of Burnley, capping a remarkable rise for the Belgian coach since his time in Welsh football.

Hayen, who spent time with Haverfordwest County before returning to Belgium, has enjoyed an impressive managerial career over the past two years, establishing himself as one of Europe’s most highly-rated young coaches.

During his time at Haverfordwest County, Nicky Hayen made an immediate impact after arriving in January 2022 with the Bluebirds battling relegation. The Belgian masterminded a remarkable turnaround, guiding the club to Cymru Premier safety after collecting 19 points from his 10 league matches in charge.

Under Hayen’s leadership, Haverfordwest pulled clear of the relegation battle, finishing seven points above Barry Town United, who were ultimately relegated from the Welsh top flight.

His impressive work in Pembrokeshire earned widespread recognition and paved the way for a return to Belgium, where he was appointed head coach of Club Brugge’s Under-23 side, competing in the Belgian second tier—a move that marked the beginning of his rapid rise in Belgium.

His breakthrough came in March 2024 when he was appointed caretaker manager of Club Brugge, replacing former Celtic boss Ronny Deila. What followed was a remarkable turnaround as Hayen guided the Belgian giants to the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-finals while also leading them to the Belgian Pro League title, edging the championship by just a single point.

His achievements earned him a permanent appointment as Club Brugge manager in June 2024, and he continued to build on that success during his first full season in charge.

Hayen led Club Brugge to a second-place league finish while also steering the club into the UEFA Champions League after an emphatic 9-1 aggregate victory over Rangers, including a memorable 6-0 second-leg triumph.

On Europe’s biggest stage, Club Brugge produced several eye-catching performances under Hayen, defeating Monaco and earning a draw against Barcelona during the 2024-25 campaign, further enhancing the Belgian’s growing reputation.

Despite those achievements, Hayen’s spell at Club Brugge came to an end on 8 December, but he was quickly back in management just 14 days later, taking over at Belgian side Genk.

Since arriving at Genk, Hayen has continued to impress. The club finished third during the 2024-25 campaign before narrowly missing out on UEFA Europa Conference League qualification the following season after suffering a penalty shootout defeat to Gent.

Now, reports suggest Burnley are looking to bring Hayen to English football, with the former Haverfordwest County coach emerging as the leading candidate for the vacancy.

A move to Turf Moor would represent another significant milestone in Hayen’s rapid managerial ascent and further underline the quality of coaches to have worked within the Welsh domestic.