New medical plan for Hornicek
Lukas Hornicek is set to fly out for his medical, though not yet to Tyneside. Instead, he will head to La Manga to complete the checks. That change delays his official arrival at Newcastle United, but the deal appears nearly final.
The 6ft 6 goalkeeper was left out of Sporting Braga's squad for their match against Zeleznicar Pancevo. With his exit already known, Braga won the game 4-0.
Hornicek had a breakout season in Portugal, claiming 24 clean sheets and becoming the first choice keeper at Braga. He helped the team finish fourth in the league, reach the Europa League semifinals, and claim the Portuguese League Cup runners-up spot.
Move to Newcastle now imminent
Newcastle United triggered the €30m (£25.9m) release clause at the start of the summer. Hornicek, who represented the Czech Republic at the World Cup as an unused sub, has not yet signed, but the reports point to him accepting the move.
Once the transfer is made official, Hornicek will be Newcastle’s fifth summer signing. The club has already brought in Ewen Jaouen, Bazoumana Toure, Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba. The near £26m transfer fee will push Newcastle’s total summer investment past £150m, underlining the club’s aggressive strategy ahead of the new season.
Newcastle United are closing in on a £25 million deal for Braga goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek, a move that looks practical, timely, and necessary given the churn around St James' Park. Hornicek, 24, was heavily involved for Braga last season, starting all but one league match as they finished fourth in Liga Portugal. Newcastle clearly see him as more than a squad filler. He is expected to arrive as the replacement for Nick Pope, and that alone tells you the level of trust attached to this deal.
The broader picture matters. Newcastle have already signed Bazoumana Toure, Aladji Bamba, Sean Steur, and Ewen Jaouen. Hornicek would become the fifth addition of the summer, with Jaouen expected to provide support after Aaron Ramsdale's return to Southampton.
Eddie Howe spectacularly left his role as Newcastle head coach on Thursday morning after a five-year stay in charge. Matthias Jaissle is now set to take charge after three years with Al-Ahli, and he walks into a dressing room that may not look settled for long.
Bruno Guimaraes is now expected to leave the club for Arsenal and has asked Newcastle to delay pre-season travel plans to finalise a move to the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal are confident they can strike a deal, while personal terms are unlikely to be an issue.
Newcastle United's search for a new first-choice goalkeeper is finally over after months of speculation surrounding the position and a lengthy list of reported targets throughout the summer. The Magpies officially announced the signing of Czech Republic international Lukas Hornicek from Braga on Monday, with the 24-year-old arriving on a five-year contract after Newcastle activated his €30 million (£25.7 million) release clause. The Athletic reported the deal's figures, revealing it would be worth the full value of the goalkeeper's release clause, which Newcastle activated over the weekend. Hornicek becomes Newcastle's fifth first-team signing of the summer following the arrivals of Ewen Jaouen (£24.6m), Bazoumana Toure (£43m), Sean Steur (£23m) and Aladji Bamba (£35.5m). The goalie has already joined the team at Newcastle's preseason training camp in Spain, with new manager Matthias Jaissle in town but still not officially hired, as no word from the club has emerged since Eddie Howe's exit.
Speaking after completing the move, Hornicek described the transfer as a major opportunity. "The last few days have been an emotional rollercoaster from when I first heard about the move and now I'm so happy to be here," Hornicek said. "It's a brilliant opportunity in a new league, which I'm very excited about." The goalkeeper also highlighted Newcastle's supporters as one of the attractions behind the move. "I know Newcastle is a huge football city, with 52,000 fans at St. James' Park creating an incredible atmosphere and pushing the team every game," Hornicek said. "I can't wait to play in front of them."
Sporting director Ross Wilson believes the club has secured one of Europe's brightest young goalkeepers. "His progress in recent years has been remarkable and he has firmly established himself as one of Europe's top young goalkeepers," Wilson said. "We knew there would be no shortage of clubs interested in acquiring Lukáš this summer after everything he achieved last season, but it quickly became evident how keen he was to be a part of what we are building here." Hornicek played a key role in Braga's run to the Europa League semifinals last season, helping the Portuguese side finish fourth in Portugal's Primeira Liga while keeping 12 clean sheets and conceding just 33 league goals. He also earned his first senior Czech Republic cap earlier this year before being included in the nation's World Cup squad.