Newcastle United Sign Czech Goalkeeper
Newcastle United Sign Czech Goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček from SC Braga
Newcastle United have completed the signing of Czech Republic international goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček from Portuguese club SC Braga. The 24-year-old has agreed a five-year contract at St. James’ Park for an undisclosed fee, becoming the Magpies’ fifth senior addition of the summer.
Horníček joins following the arrivals of Ewen Jaouen, Bazoumana Touré, Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba. The tall shot-stopper, standing at around 6ft 6in, is expected to compete for the number one position and has been tipped by some reports to start the season as first choice.
Speaking after the move, Horníček said: “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. 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. 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.”
Sporting Director Ross Wilson praised the new arrival: “I’m delighted to welcome Lukáš to Newcastle United. His progress in recent years has been remarkable and he has firmly established himself as one of Europe’s top young goalkeepers. 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.”
Horníček spent seven years at Braga, joining initially on loan from Pardubice in 2019 before making the move permanent. He established himself as first-choice in January 2025 and played a key role in Braga’s run to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals last season. He also helped the side finish fourth in the Portuguese top flight, keeping 12 clean sheets. The goalkeeper earned a call-up to the Czech Republic squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and won his first senior cap earlier this year.
