Newcastle United have announced the signing of Czech international goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek from Portuguese club Braga on a five-year deal.

The Premier League side confirmed the arrival of the 24-year-old on Monday for a reported fee of €30.6 million (£26.2 million).

Hornicek, who made his senior international debut in May, expressed his enthusiasm for the move.

"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," he said in a statement.

"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 added his eagerness to play at St. James' Park, highlighting the "incredible atmosphere" created by 52,000 fans.

The goalkeeper joins Newcastle following a strong campaign with Braga, where he was instrumental in their run to the Europa League semi-finals. During that competition, he kept seven clean sheets, the highest tally of any goalkeeper.

Hornicek initially moved to Braga on loan from Czech club Pardubice in 2019, before making the switch permanent and establishing himself as the first-choice goalkeeper in 2025. He was also part of the Czech squad for the World Cup in North America, though he did not feature as his nation exited in the group stage.

Confirmation of Hornicek’s move comes just three days after the club confirmed the departure of manager Eddie Howe.

The Englishman announced his decision to step down from his role on Friday after almost five years in charge, having led the club to their first domestic trophy in 70 years in 2025 when Newcastle beat Liverpool to win the Carabao Cup.

Explaining his decision to fans, Howe wrote in a statement: “After a period of personal reflection, I have decided that now is the right time for me to step away from my role as head coach of Newcastle United,” said Howe.

“After nearly five years of giving my life, heart and soul into the club with unrelenting energy, I feel that it is in the best interests of both myself and the club to step away, recharge and take a break.

“Although it’s been incredibly difficult to make this decision, I know in my heart that it’s the right one. I have always put the best interests of Newcastle before my own in every single decision I have made whilst I’ve been here, and this one is no different.”

Howe is expected to be replaced by Germany’s Matthias Jaissle.