Brentford have completed the signing of Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken from Freiburg for a reported fee of £11m. The 29-year-old, who has won four international caps, has signed a four-year contract subject to international clearance and a work permit. Flekken had an impressive season with Freiburg, keeping 13 clean sheets in 34 matches, the most in the Bundesliga.
Speaking of his move, Flekken said: “I’m a ball-playing goalkeeper. I try to bring calmness into the squad. I’ll always try to direct the guys in front of me – I’ll help them to help me. If you had told me seven years ago when I was in the third division of Germany that one day I would be playing in the Premier League, I would have probably knocked you down.”
Brentford manager Thomas Frank expressed his delight at the signing, saying: “He’s a player with a lot of quality. He’s a very good shot-stopper and comfortable with the ball at his feet. His distribution is very impressive.” The Bees finished ninth in the Premier League this season and will be hoping that Flekken can help them push for a higher finish next season.