Brentford have announced the signing of Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken from German side Freiburg on Wednesday, subject to international clearance and work permit.
Mark Flekken, 29, has joined Brentford on a four-year contract for a transfer fee of £11m. The Dutch shot-stopper, who has won four international caps, kept 13 clean sheets in 34 matches for Freiburg this past season—the most in the Bundesliga. He becomes the first Bees’ signing ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
“We’re very happy to have signed Mark,” said head coach Thomas Frank on the official website.
“He’s a player with a lot of quality who will strengthen our goalkeeper group. He has big experience and joins us after two great seasons with Freiburg, who have just had a top season in the Bundesliga, finishing fifth and qualifying for the Europa League.
“He was a big part of the team there and now he’s coming to us and will hopefully make the group better and the team better. He’s a very good shot-stopper and comfortable with the ball at his feet. His distribution is very impressive.”
Brentford set David Raya’s price at £40m
David Raya, Brentford’s current No.1, could leave this summer, having refused two offers from the West London club for an extension. The Spanish international, 27, has one year left on his contract and has been transfer-listed, as the Bees try to avoid losing him on a free transfer next year.
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank confirmed at the weekend that David Raya is the only goalkeeper up for sale, with the club asking £40m for his services. However, Raya’s agent Futbol21Pro agent Jaume Munell has recently criticised Brentford for demanding £40m, saying: “If Brentford does not lower the price tag for David Raya this summer, we’ll be ready to leave as free agent in one year.”
Raya has been linked with a move to Manchester United and Aston Villa ahead of the summer transfer window. The Spaniard has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League over the last two seasons, and in this age and market, £40m for a gloveman of his quality and experience doesn’t seem to be bad.
Mark Flekken is a snip at £11m for the Bees
In Mark Flekken, Brentford are getting a really solid goalkeeper with international pedigree and experience of European football. He has the skill-set, athleticism and temperament to adapt to the demands of Premier League football but has also shown mental strength in overcoming difficulty.
The Netherlands international is composed on the ball and a talented sweeper-keeper, attributes key in fitting Brentford’s style of play under Thomas Frank. Having enjoyed an impressive campaign with Freiburg in the Bundesliga, he arrives at the Gtech Community Stadium with a lot of confidence and self-belief.
With Raya set to leave Thomas Frank’s side in the summer, Flekken is an excellent potential replacement for the Spaniard. At just £11m, he represents a shrewd piece of business from Brentford.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.