Villarreal have secured the signing of veteran Hungary goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi from RB Leipzig, marking the Spanish club's first transfer business of the summer window. The 36-year-old has penned a two-year contract after Villarreal reportedly paid approximately €1 million for his services.

End of an Era at Leipzig

Gulacsi departs RB Leipzig after an 11-season stint that yielded 362 appearances for the German club, having originally joined from Red Bull Salzburg in 2015. His professional career began at Liverpool, though he never featured for the first team, instead gaining experience on loan at Tranmere Rovers and Hull City.

Filling the Goalkeeping Void

The acquisition comes as Villarreal navigated a reshaped goalkeeping department this summer. Diego Conde departed for Real Betis while Arnau Tenas moved to Mallorca, leaving a clear vacancy between the posts. Gulacsi is now expected to compete with Luiz Junior for the starting berth as Villarreal prepare for a return to the UEFA Champions League, having secured qualification by finishing third in La Liga last season behind FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

A Wealth of European Experience

The Hungarian international brings considerable pedigree to Inigo Perez's squad. Gulacsi has earned 58 caps for Hungary and has featured in more than 70 UEFA club competition matches, including 41 in the Champions League — experience that will prove valuable as Villarreal re-enter Europe's elite competition.

New Coach, New Ambitions

Gulacsi arrives under a new managerial setup at Villarreal. The club confirmed Inigo Perez as head coach in June, signing the 38-year-old on a three-year deal running until June 2029. Perez, who retired from playing in 2022, replaces Marcelino Garcia Toral, who departed despite guiding the club to Champions League qualification for a second consecutive season.

Perez arrives from Rayo Vallecano, where he took charge in February 2024 and steered the side away from relegation danger. He subsequently led Rayo to a UEFA Conference League final — a historic achievement for the club — before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the final held in Leipzig, Germany. Rayo also finished eighth in La Liga despite operating on one of the league's smallest budgets, a run that cemented Perez's standing as one of Spanish football's most promising young coaches.

With Champions League football returning to Estadio de la Ceramica and a new coaching structure in place, Villarreal's summer rebuild is gathering momentum.