'Amazing signing' - Matthias Jaissle praises club-record Newcastle United transfer deal after immediate impact
Lukas Hornicek has enjoyed a positive start to life at Newcastle United following his summer transfer from Braga.
Matthias Jaissle has hailed Lukas Hornicek as an ‘amazing signing’ for Newcastle United - after just four appearances.
Hornicek has kept two clean sheets in his four competitive matches for the club so far, helping secure two wins and two draws while also registering the joint most saves of any goalkeeper in the Premier League this season.
The 24-year-old joined Newcastle from Braga in the summer for £26million, a club record for a goalkeeper.
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An ‘amazing signing’ for Newcastle United
But so far, he has lived up to the price tag and impressed his new head coach.
“Yeah, an amazing job so far,” Jaissle admitted. “Amazing signing. A young lad as well.
“Not easy coming in the Premier League, performing already on a high level, dealing with the pressure as a keeper. It's something else as well. So, we are really pleased and we hope that he can progress in the same way.”
NUFC’s goalkeeper overhaul
Hornicek was signed as part of a goalkeeper overhaul at Newcastle this summer following the exits of Aaron Ramsdale and John Ruddy. 20-year-old Ewen Jaouen was also signed from Stade de Reims at the start of the summer as Nick Pope was made available for a transfer.
Although Pope remains at the club, Jaissle preferred Hornicek for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup third round win at Millwall.
“I like him a lot, as he's so calm but so mature as well,” Jaissle said about Hornicek. “So I think that gives also the whole team this confidence, having someone between the posts with that confidence and showing that also. Not a nervous, not even a sign of nervousness.
“So that helps a lot.”