Newcastle United's bold next summer transfer could be £30m World Cup star

In a little over three weeks’ time, Newcastle will get their Premier League season underway with a testing game against Liverpool – and as it stands, they will do so without having found a first-choice goalkeeper that they’re completely happy with.

The 34-year-old Nick Pope has just one year left on his contract, and Newcastle are keen to move on. Aaron Ramsdale has returned to Southampton after failing to take Pope’s place on loan last season. But still, the long-awaited new signing has not yet arrived.

The Magpies decided to pass on James Trafford, who is joining Leeds, and have yet to bid for alleged targets like Zion Suzuki and Carl Rushworth. Ewen Jaouen has signed from Reims, but is only intended to be a back-up. The reason for the worrying lack of activity in the transfer market could now be becoming more apparent, however, with new reports suggesting another transfer target who had previously been kept quiet: Braga goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček.

Who is Newcastle transfer target Lukáš Horníček?

The 24-year-old Czech international came through the youth ranks at Pardubice in his home country before moving to Portugal in 2019 as a 17-year-old, where he slowly picked his way through Braga’s academy ranks before eventually establishing himself as first choice over the course of the 2024/25 season.

His CV is, therefore, rather short: 88 senior appearances for Braga in all competitions spread over the course of six seasons - but his performances since taking the gloves on a full-time basis have been very impressive indeed.

His form over the last season in particular meant that Horníček, who represented his national side at every age group from Under-16s to Under-21s, finally earned his first call-up to the Czech national squad ahead of the World Cup, making his debut in a warm-up match against Kosovo – his only cap to date. It also seems to have attracted the attention of Newcastle.

According to Daily Telegraph correspondent Luke Edwards, the Magpies have “genuine” interest in Horníček and are considering a bid, although he notes that there are other potential targets on the shortlist. The story was then seemingly confirmed by The Athletic on Tuesday.

It’s not yet certain that Newcastle will bid for Horníček over the likes of Suzuki or Rushworth, who have also been strongly linked with a move to St. James’ Park, but a fixed price point means that negotiations aren’t likely to take long if they do get underway – the Czech has a release clause worth just under £30m in his contract with Braga, which his current employers will expect to be paid in full.

What isn’t clear is why Newcastle are taking so long to make a move, regardless of their preferences. There is less than a month before the start of the season and with the World Cup over there is no impediment to negotiations. The decision to replace Pope appears to have been made already – the decision on who the right replacement should be is taking considerably more time.

If it is Horníček then it is unlikely that personal terms would present an issue given that his current salary is under £500,000 per year, and Newcastle can comfortably outbid Braga in that regard. The question is simply whether he’s seen the right man for the job. Both the eye test and the raw data suggest that he could well be.

Why Newcastle are keen on Horníček – and whether he’d be the right signing for them

Horníček caught the eye quickly after getting his chance to become Braga’s number one – his 81% save percentage from the 2024/25 season was extraordinary, and while that dropped back to a more ordinary 69% last season, he was still pulling off some exceptional stops and according to the xG model was responsible for preventing nearly four more goals than expected in the Primeira Liga alone, an improvement on his first year in the job.

The impressive stats are backed up by watching him play. He has excellent reflexes, strong hands, and typically takes up good starting positions. He has the ability to reach some shots that other goalkeepers might miss, and seldom fails to make an achievable save.

He’s also excellent outside his area and comfortable with the ball at his feet, which is helpful given that Eddie Howe remains more aggressive than most managers with his defensive line – and his distribution improved last season, which has been one of the primary problems about Pope in recent seasons.

The one key area in which Horníček could stand to improve is his ability to convincing claim crosses – even at 6’6” tall, he doesn’t command his penalty area as successfully as one might hope for.

That’s a key area in which an alternative target such as Suzuki might have the edge. The Japanese international is outstanding under the high ball and better still with his distribution, especially in terms of his long passes.

Where Horníček has the edge of his alleged competition is simply in his capacity to keep making saves. He may be the best shot-stopper among Newcastle’s apparent targets and certainly has the reflexes and reach to ensure that his impressive work in Portugal translates to the Premier League. There are areas in which other goalkeepers may be better, but Horníček may be the most reliable of the options when it comes to keeping the sheets clean.

Whether that’s enough for Newcastle remains to be seen, but they will presumably make their move very soon. After all, there isn’t a great deal of time left before the season starts, and right now Pope remains their number one.