Manchester City are reportedly close to signing Slavia Prague goalkeeper Barbora Votíková, although the clubs are still discussing whether the move would be permanent or another loan.
According to Lucie Macháčová, Slavia would be open to selling the 29-year-old, whose contract runs until June 2027.
Votíková spent the second half of last season on loan at Arsenal but did not make a competitive appearance after joining as the club’s third-choice goalkeeper. City could now offer a different opportunity following Khiara Keating’s move to Liverpool.
The interest creates an intriguing question: are the WSL champions recruiting Votíková as experienced cover, or can she realistically compete for more than the role she occupied at Arsenal?
Transfer Snapshot
- Player: Barbora Votíková
- Age: 29
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Current club: Slavia Prague
- Interested club: Manchester City
- Transfer status: Reported negotiations
- Possible structure: Permanent transfer or loan
- Slavia contract: Until June 2027
- Transfer fee: Not disclosed
Keating’s Departure Created an Opening
Manchester City’s goalkeeper situation changed when Keating declined a contract extension and joined Liverpool. Keating had competed with Japan international Ayaka Yamashita for the starting position. The England goalkeeper wanted more playing time to support her international ambitions and chose to continue her career elsewhere.
Her departure leaves space inside City’s goalkeeping group, but it does not automatically create a guaranteed first-choice position for whoever arrives. Yamashita remains part of the competition, and Barbora Votíková would need to prove that she can challenge for meaningful minutes after a six-month period without playing for Arsenal.
City’s reported interest suggests they still value what she can offer despite that absence. The precise role they have presented to her remains unknown.
Why the Arsenal Spell Matters
Barbora Votíková joined Arsenal in February after the opportunity emerged unexpectedly.
“It came out of nowhere,” she later told ČT Sport. “One morning, on the way to training, my agent messaged me that Arsenal were interested. Within a week, everything was done and I was moving to London.”
The loan returned her to England after a previous spell with Tottenham, but it did not provide competitive football. Votíková served as Arsenal’s third goalkeeper and left without making an appearance.
That does not remove the value of training in a WSL environment. It does, however, make playing time central to any decision about Manchester City.
Another move to a leading English club would be attractive, particularly after City won the WSL and FA Cup last season. Yet Votíková must assess whether the proposed role offers a realistic path onto the pitch. At 29, development through training alone is unlikely to be the main objective. She needs matches.
Permanent Transfer or Another Temporary Solution?
The unresolved structure could reveal how strongly Manchester City view Votíková. A permanent transfer would give her greater certainty after her temporary period at Arsenal and indicate that City see her as part of their goalkeeping plans beyond one season.
Another loan would allow City to assess her without making the same commitment. For Slavia, however, a permanent sale may be preferable with only one year remaining on her contract. The Czech club are reportedly not opposed to that option.
Votíková has previously played for Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham, so another move abroad would not be unfamiliar. She also helped Slavia win the Czech championship in 2024-25 before leaving for Arsenal midway through the following campaign.
Her career has already taken her into several high-profile squads. The question is whether Manchester can become the place where she plays regularly again.
Slavia Face an Immediate Decision
The timing also matters for Slavia. Barbora Votíková is currently training with the Czech club, whose domestic season begins on 15 August. Before then, Slavia face Glasgow Rangers in the second qualifying round of the Women’s Champions League on 5 August.
They must therefore determine quickly whether Votíková will be available for an important European fixture or leave before the competitive season begins.
Twenty-year-old Vanesa Jílková played most regularly for Slavia last season and is expected to remain their leading option if Votíková departs. Jovana Petrović and 18-year-old Gabriela Sobotková provide further alternatives.
Slavia’s objective is to reclaim the league title from Sparta Prague. Selling an experienced goalkeeper before the Champions League qualifiers would still require the club to be confident in the options remaining.
A Bigger Opportunity Must Mean More Than a Bigger Club
Manchester City can offer Votíková another place inside one of England’s leading squads. That alone would not make the transfer successful.
Her Arsenal loan showed the difference between joining a major club and becoming part of its team. City must explain how she fits alongside Yamashita, while Votíková must decide whether that pathway is convincing enough to leave Slavia again.
The negotiations are reportedly advanced, but the most important details remain unsettled. Until the clubs decide between a loan and permanent transfer—and City’s goalkeeping hierarchy becomes clearer—the scale of the opportunity is difficult to judge.
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