Newcastle could sign 'the next Petr Cech' for just £26m - verdict
Eddie Howe could really benefit from some Premier League legends as the Newcastle United squad continues to be ripped apart.
Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali have already sought new adventures away from St James' Park, with Bruno Guimaraes likely to be next.
Newcastle's latest additions to the squad have certainly raised eyebrows, with a total of £55million spent on Sean Steur, 18, and Aladji Bamba, 20.
They join Bazoumana Toure and Ewen Jaouen in the north east, but supporters are more concerned than confident about a positive 2026-27 campaign.
Despite Jaouen's arrival, Nick Pope is still expected to feature as the Magpies' first choice, and the 34-year-old simply won't cut it anymore.
That is exactly why spending £25.6m on Braga's Lukas Hornicek appears to be the best option for the six-time FA Cup winners.
Lukas Hornicek has big expectations to live up to
Hornicek, 24, is believed to be high up on Newcastle's radar this summer, impressing in Portugal over the last five seasons in the top flight.
The Czech international also has plenty of Europa League experience under his belt, earning a spot at this year's World Cup, but not coming off the bench at all.
He has already made his first appearance of the 2026-27 campaign, keeping a clean sheet against Zeleznicar Pancevo in a Europa Conference League Qualification clash.
It is only a matter of time before Hornicek's career bursts into life, and that would certainly explain the comparisons to Petr Cech, a Chelsea and Arsenal legend.
In an interview [Inter News], the player's agent revealed: "I asked Martin Shejbal, his former goalkeeping coach at FK Pardurice; he was the first to notice Lukas' talent.
"This comparison was made at the beginning. He wanted to emphasise that. Experts consider Lukas the Czech Republic goalkeeper who comes closest to this profile."
Who else has Newcastle United's target been compared to?
Believe it or not, but Cech is not the only impressive name that has cropped up when discussing who Hornicek could one day match.
Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois and Manchester City's Gianluigi Donnarumma have both been mentioned as potential comparisons.
Noticed for his height, Hornicek is a reliable shot-stopper, with excellent reflexes and reactions, as well as acting as a sweeper-keeper.
The 24-year-old is also comfortable with the ball at his feet, and should he make the switch to the Premier League, fans will hope that he can match Cech's career in the division.