"The end of last season left a bitter taste. But what happened two months ago is not the end. Now it is time to make amends. We are very hungry, ready for the new season and are going all in," Daniel Peretz tells SPOX. "For us, it is unfinished business."
The 26-year-old goalkeeper from Israel joined Southampton on loan from Bayern Munich last winter. An impressive winning run with their new No.1 dragged the Saints out of the relegation zone and into the promotion play-offs. They beat Middlesbrough in the semi-finals, but were excluded from the final at Wembley Stadium because of the spectacular spying affair. Hull City went up instead.
German coach Tonda Eckert, who was partly responsible for the incidents, ultimately kept his job and is now expected to lead Southampton back to the Premier League at the second attempt. Once his loan ended, Peretz joined the Saints permanently from Bayern Munich for eight million euros and signed a contract until 2030. "I feel at home here," he says. "And when you feel at home, you have to stay. I am sure it is the right decision. My heart is here."
Manuel Neuer? "An important reason why I became a goalkeeper"
Peretz joined Munich from Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2023 for five million euros. Stuck behind first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, he barely got a look-in and made only seven competitive appearances for Bayern Munich. Even so, he still relished the chance to work with the 40-year-old goalkeeping icon.
"Manu was my biggest idol," says Peretz. "He is an important reason why I became a goalkeeper. I was very excited to meet him before the move. And then he turned out to be a great guy. Manu helped me a lot and gave me tips and suggestions for improvement. I took a lot from him for my life and my career."
Daniel Peretz remained only a reserve at Hamburger SV
After Bayern signed Jonas Urbig at the start of 2025, Peretz slipped to third-choice goalkeeper and joined Hamburger SV on loan in the summer of 2025. He then lost out to Daniel Heuer Fernandes in the battle for the starting spot. "I had imagined the spell differently, but it made me mentally stronger," says Peretz. In January 2026, he moved on to Southampton.
Southampton start their season on Saturday in the League Cup against fourth-tier side Colchester United. A week later, they travel to Watford for their opening Championship match.