Newcastle United has completed the signing of goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek from Braga for a reported fee of £25.7 million. The 24-year-old Czech Republic international finalized his move over the weekend, signing a five-year contract after Newcastle activated his release clause.
Hornicek joined Newcastle's training camp in Spain to finalize the transfer. "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 stated. "It's a brilliant opportunity in a new league, which I'm very excited about. From the very first moment I arrived here, I received a fantastic welcome and really felt the warmth of the club. Everyone has been brilliant in helping me settle in."
He expressed his anticipation of playing in front of Newcastle's fanbase at St James' Park, known for its capacity of 52,000 and passionate atmosphere. "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. I can't wait to play in front of them."
Newcastle had been monitoring Hornicek's performance, particularly his seven clean sheets during Braga's Europa League semi-final run last season, which led the competition. Beyond his shot-stopping abilities, statistics from Opta highlighted his proficiency in distribution, ranking second for successful passes (846) and fourth for passing accuracy (75%) among goalkeepers in Portugal's top-flight last season.
Newcastle's sporting director, Ross Wilson, praised Hornicek's development, describing his progress in recent years as remarkable and cementing his status as one of Europe's top young goalkeepers. "We knew there would be no shortage of clubs interested in acquiring Lukas 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," Wilson commented.
The club had also acquired 20-year-old Ewen Jaouen from Reims earlier in the summer, but the acquisition of Hornicek indicates a move to secure a more established senior goalkeeper.