Brentford FC Goalkeeper Mark Flekken Completes Permanent Transfer to Bayer Leverkusen
In a move that has been met with a mixture of sadness and well-wishes from the Brentford FC community, goalkeeper Mark Flekken has completed a permanent transfer to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for an undisclosed fee. The Netherlands international, who joined the Bees from Freiburg in May 2023, departs west London having made a significant impact in his time with the club.
According to Brentford FC’s official website, Flekken made 77 appearances across all competitions for the club, keeping 15 clean sheets. He made his debut in the 2023/24 season opener against Tottenham Hotspur at Gtech Community Stadium, a 2-2 draw. The 31-year-old went on to play all bar one of the west Londoners’ Premier League fixtures that term, only missing the away clash against Manchester United through illness.
In the 2024/25 season, Flekken was only absent for one league game, with his last outing for the club coming in the 1-1 final-day draw at Wolves. As reported by Brentford FC, the goalkeeper’s impressive performances did not go unnoticed, with his saves praised by fans and pundits alike. In fact, a tweet from Brentford FC’s official Twitter account highlighted that Flekken had made more saves than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League this season.
Director of football Phil Giles paid tribute to Flekken’s contributions to the club, stating: "Mark has proven to be a seamless replacement for David Raya, who set an extremely high standard during his years with us. We were expecting Mark to be our goalkeeper for many more years, however when Bayer Leverkusen made it known that they wanted to do this transfer, and Mark made it clear that he was interested in moving closer to home and with a possibility of Champions League football, we turned our attention towards how all parties could make this happen."
Giles continued: "Mark has done a great job for us and leaves with our thanks and support." First-team goalkeeper coach Manu Sotelo also praised Flekken, saying: "Mark was a great no.1 for us on and off the pitch. Despite a tough beginning, he ended up being a really important player. Offensively, he helped us to play from the back on another level, but not just playing short as he got three assists in two seasons."
Sotelo added: "Defensively, he became a really solid goalkeeper after an uncomfortable transition after changing countries. The Premier league is ruthless, but he became one of the best goalkeepers in the league. He was relentless in training and leading our young goalkeepers. His impact here was massive and we wish him all the best for the future." As Brentford FC bids farewell to their former goalkeeper, the club wishes Flekken all the best in his future endeavors with Bayer Leverkusen.
The transfer, as reported by Brentford FC, marks a significant change for Flekken, who will now have the opportunity to compete in the Champions League and play closer to home. As the football world continues to evolve, one thing is certain – Mark Flekken will be remembered fondly by the Brentford FC community for his dedication, hard work, and outstanding performances between the posts.
