The German club Bayer Leverkusen announced through its official website its signing of Dutch international goalkeeper Mark Flecken, coming from English club Brentford, with a contract extending until the summer of 2028.

Flecken, who is 31 years old, has extensive experience in both the English and German leagues, having played 80 matches in the Bundesliga and 74 matches in the Premier League, and is considered one of the top goalkeepers in Europe in recent seasons.

Flecken was born in the Dutch city of Boekel on the German border and began his career in the youth categories at Roda Kerkrade, before moving to Alemannia Aachen where he signed his first professional contract in 2011. In 2016, he made a name for himself with MSV Duisburg and scored a historic goal as a goalkeeper in the third division.

Flecken later excelled with Freiburg, participated in the DFB-Pokal final in 2022, and made a strong impression in the Europa League, which caught the attention of Brentford, who signed him in the summer of 2023.

Internationally, Flecken has played 8 matches with the Netherlands national team since his debut in March 2022, and he was selected for the Dutch squad for the Euro 2024 tournament. He is also preparing to participate in the World Cup qualifiers against Finland and Malta before starting his summer vacation.

The signing of Mark Flecken is a new step for Leverkusen to strengthen its squad with players who have European experience, especially after the impressive season the team has recently had.