Report: Newcastle United set to complete £25m signing | OneFootball

Newcastle Transfer News: Lukas Hornicek Nears £25m Move as Bruno Guimaraes Exit Looms

Newcastle United needed a lift and, according to talkSPORT, they may have one. The club 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. In isolation, that is solid business. In context, it feels more like damage control.

Hornicek Deal Offers Rare Boost

The original report describes this as “Some good news!” and that is fair enough. It also says Hornicek’s impending arrival is “a sliver of good news” after a bruising spell. Again, accurate. Newcastle have lost Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur, and missed out on Johan Manzambi, who chose Aston Villa instead.

That is a rough sequence for any club with top-four ambitions. It gets worse when leadership changes follow immediately.

Photo: IMAGO

Eddie Howe Exit Changes Mood

talkSPORT reports that Eddie Howe “spectacularly left his role as Newcastle head coach on Thursday morning after a five-year stay in charge.” That is the sort of line that shifts the mood around a football club in an instant. 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 to Arsenal Would Hurt

The biggest concern is Bruno Guimaraes. talkSPORT says he “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.”

If that happens, Newcastle are not merely replacing players, they are losing pillars. Hornicek may be a smart signing, but one goalkeeper does not soften every blow in a summer that has turned chaotic very quickly.

Our View

As a Newcastle fan, there is still a way to read this positively. Hornicek for £25 million sounds like proper recruitment, age profile right, experience solid, and scope to improve. If he has been a key player for Braga and started nearly every league game, then this is not a gamble pulled from nowhere. It is the type of move smart clubs make before the wider market catches up.

Yes, the last 24 hours sound ugly. Losing Eddie Howe is massive, and if Bruno Guimaraes goes to Arsenal that will sting badly. Nobody sensible pretends otherwise. But Newcastle have money, pull and a squad base that still gives the next coach something to work with. Jaissle, if confirmed, inherits pressure straight away, though he also inherits a club that can move fast.

From a supporter point of view, the main thing is competence. Replace well, act quickly and stop the bleeding. Hornicek feels like a step in that direction. Supporters can accept sales if there is a plan behind them. They will not accept drift. So get this one done, sort the midfield if Bruno leaves, and make sure this summer becomes a reset rather than a collapse. That is the challenge, and right now this deal looks like a decent start.