A Penny for free

Last updated : 11 July 2010 By Tony Scholes
Diego Penny
That is this morning's tabloid speculation which reports that manager Brian Laws will allow him to leave for nothing despite him having a year remaining on his Turf Moor contract.

Penny arrived from his native Peru, for a reported £400,000 fee, in the summer of 2008 as a replacement for Gabor Kiraly, the Hungarian being given the role of reserve team substitute.

The Burnley management team had been impressed when watching Penny's performance for Peru against Brazil on DVD and made their move. He without doubt came in as first choice but was dropped after the first game of the 2008/09 season against Sheffield Wednesday in what proved to be his only league start.

He has since been reduced to one start in the Carling Cup and two substitute appearances, one in the league and one in the Carling Cup, when Brian Jensen was injured.

Laws brought in Nicky Weaver on a short term contract as cover for Jensen last season and is known to be looking for another goalkeeper. This morning's speculation comes as no surprise.