Newcastle’s new No1 Lukas Hornicek forced to ditch risque nickname after £25.7m transfer

NEWCASTLE’S new £25.7million goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek has admitted he has been forced to ditch his old nickname after moving to England. The Czech shotstopper revealed team-mates in Portugal used to call him ‘Horni’. Lukas Hornicek admitted his nickname might have to be dropped in England Credit: Getty The shotstopper makes up the fifth signing for Newcastle this window Credit: Getty BUT he quickly realised it would not go down too well on Tyneside. Hornicek, 24, completed his switch from Portuguese side Braga this summer and is expected to challenge for the No1 spot at St James’ Park. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Speaking in an interview with club media, he was asked about nicknames. Hornicek smirked: “I told them to call me Lukasz. “The guys in Portugal, they call me Horni. “I don’t know if it goes well in the English culture, so I’d rather go by Lukasz.” The hilarious exchange quickly went viral on social media. One X user wrote: “Said his nickname at his previous club was either Luka or Horni. I think we all know which way this will go.” Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS The Czech international is set to challenge Nick Pope as starting keeper Credit: Getty Someone else added: “Given his nickname is Horni, there’s already an obvious song!” A fourth quipped: “Can’t wait to chant ‘He’s Lukas Horni, Horni Horni Horni’, to Mousse T’s song.” Hornicek arrives at Newcastle after impressing with Braga, where he established himself as one of the most highly-rated young goalkeepers in Portugal. Newcastle triggered Hornicek’s £25.7m release clause before handing him a five-year contract. The star is expected to begin the season as Matthias Jaissle’s first-choice goalkeeper. Comment now