Daniel Peretz opens his heart: "It was a period I imagined differently"
After years of waiting for a real opportunity, the Israeli goalkeeper talks about his permanent move to Southampton, reveals the difficult period in his career, and declares that the goal is clear: to lead his team back to the Premier League.
Daniel Peretz opened his heart in an interview with the German website SPOX, addressing for the first time his permanent move from Bayern Munich to Southampton. The Israeli goalkeeper, who had been playing for the English club on loan since January 2026, has now been officially purchased for 8 million euros and signed a contract until the summer of 2030.
Peretz said that the decision to stay was natural for him.
"I feel at home here," he said, explaining that from the moment he arrived at the club, he felt confidence and trust, which helped him showcase his abilities and become the team's first-choice goalkeeper.
In the interview, Peretz also addressed the dramatic end of last season. According to him, Southampton managed to make an impressive comeback, moving away from the danger zone and reaching the promotion playoffs for the Premier League. After a victory in the semi-finals, the dream of promotion was unexpectedly halted following a spying scandal that led to the team's disqualification and exclusion from the final match at Wembley.
"We have unfinished business," said Peretz, emphasizing that the locker room is determined to return the club to the top flight this season.
The Israeli goalkeeper also looked back at his time at Bayern Munich, where he arrived from Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2023. He shared that the competition for the starting goalkeeper spot was complex, especially while behind Manuel Neuer, whom he defined as a role model. According to him, Neuer helped him a lot during his time in Germany and influenced his professional development, even though he received very few minutes of play.
Later, Peretz moved on loan to Hamburg, but struggled to establish his place in the lineup there as well. Despite the professional disappointment, he said:
"It was a period I imagined differently, but it strengthened me mentally" and prepared him for the opportunity he received at Southampton.
Now, after an interesting summer off the pitch, having signed a long-term contract and becoming a permanent player at the club, Peretz hopes to lead Southampton back to the Premier League and prove that the decision to leave Bayern Munich was the right step for his career.
