logo
Leverkusen sign Brentford goalie Flekken

Leverkusen sign Brentford goalie Flekken

Mark Flekken has signed a deal with Leverkusen running to 2028. (AP pic)
MUNICH : Bayer Leverkusen have signed Netherlands goalkeeper Mark Flekken from Premier League side Brentford, the Bundesliga club announced today.
German media reported Leverkusen paid €10 million to secure the 31-year-old's services.
Flekken, who signed a deal running to 2028, will likely take over from current Leverkusen goalie Lukas Hradecky, who captained the side to their historic unbeaten league and cup double in 2023-24.
In a statement, Flekken said he was taking 'another special step in my career', adding that Leverkusen are 'a top German club with high national and European goals'.
Leverkusen are expected to undergo a rebuild this off-season, with former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag having already replaced the Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso as coach.
Centreback Jonathan Tah signed on a free transfer with German champions Bayern Munich, while midfielder Florian Wirtz is in talks to join wingback Jeremie Frimpong in moving to Premier League winners Liverpool.
The Dutch keeper has Bundesliga experience, having spent five years at Freiburg before making the switch to Brentford in 2023.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Real Madrid's Alonso learns harsh lessons as La Liga debut looms
Real Madrid's Alonso learns harsh lessons as La Liga debut looms

Free Malaysia Today

time4 hours ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Real Madrid's Alonso learns harsh lessons as La Liga debut looms

Xabi Alonso must address tactical errors before Real Madrid's La Liga opener against Osasuna on Aug 19. (EPA Images pic) MADRID : The long-awaited arrival of coach Xabi Alonso was cheerfully celebrated by Real Madrid fans in May as the former club great came with high expectations following his trophy-laden stint at Bayer Leverkusen after Carlo Ancelotti headed to Brazil. But Alonso's honeymoon period came to a jarring halt with a 4-0 thrashing by Paris St Germain in the Club World Cup semi-finals, leaving him scrambling to fix tactical blunders while figuring out how to stop Barcelona's attacking juggernaut ahead of their La Liga opener at home to Osasuna on Aug 19. The new coach had enjoyed a promising start to his tenure, taking his team unbeaten to the semis despite missing striker Kylian Mbappe for most of the tournament due to illness. But the Spaniard's decision to abandon the five-man defence that had served Real so well until that point in the tournament proved disastrous against PSG's lethal transitions. The tactical switch – made to accommodate a recovered Mbappe alongside academy sensation Gonzalo up front – left Real totally exposed and taught Alonso a painful lesson less than a month after the 43-year-old was welcomed to Madrid. Alonso initially impressed by fielding a five-man defence for the first time in over 25 years at Real, evoking memories of Vicente del Bosque's 2000 Champions League-winning side. The system, featuring three centre-backs and aggressive wing-backs, marked a significant departure from the traditional 4-3-3 formation and appeared to address Real's defensive frailties from a disappointing, trophyless 2024-25 campaign. Fixing those defensive problems was crucial after Real conceded 16 goals in four consecutive losses to Barca. Now Alonso must decide whether to revert to the system that worked before the PSG debacle and during his Leverkusen stint, when he guided them to a first Bundesliga title in 2023-24. He will have new weapons at his disposal, including Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool and 20-year-old Spain centre-back Dean Huijsen, who arrived from Bournemouth after Real activated his £50 million (US$67.02 million) release clause. The club also signed Spanish left-back Alvaro Carrera from Benfica for €50 million (US$58.20 million). Another conundrum comes in attack, where Mbappe and Vinicius Jr have yet to show their true potential playing together. Academy forward Gonzalo, meanwhile, has gone from unknown to fan favourite during his remarkable Club World Cup showing, potentially displacing established, multi-million euro signings like Rodrygo, Endrick and Brahim Diaz. Keeping all of his players happy will be a challenge for Alonso, as well as figuring out how to live without England maestro Jude Bellingham, who is expected to miss several weeks after surgery in mid-July on a long-standing shoulder issue.

Real Madrid's request to postpone LaLiga opener denied
Real Madrid's request to postpone LaLiga opener denied

Free Malaysia Today

time4 hours ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Real Madrid's request to postpone LaLiga opener denied

The RFEF maintained that the official league schedule can change solely due to force majeure. (AFP pic) MADRID : Real Madrid will begin their LaLiga campaign with a home game against Osasuna as scheduled after Spain's federation (RFEF) rejected their appeal to postpone the Aug 19 fixture on Thursday, local media reported. Real had requested a longer rest period and pre-season after playing in the Club World Cup in the US, where they lost to Paris St-Germain in the semi-finals on July 9, according to the report. Reuters has contacted the RFEF and Real for comment. An RFEF judge ruled that in order to preserve the integrity of the competition, only a case of force majeure would warrant a change to the official calendar and that Real's case did not justify an alteration, Europa Press news agency reported. 'Finally, it should be added that although the requesting club claims to have the agreement of the opposing party, CA Osasuna, there is no record of this entity having responded to the request made by this judge,' the sole judge was quoted as saying in his ruling by Europa Press.

Mbappe inherits Real Madrid's number 10 jersey after Modric exit
Mbappe inherits Real Madrid's number 10 jersey after Modric exit

Free Malaysia Today

time4 hours ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Mbappe inherits Real Madrid's number 10 jersey after Modric exit

Kylian Mbappe wore the number 9 shirt in his debut season after arriving from Paris St Germain on a free transfer. (Real Madrid pic) MADRID : Kylian Mbappe will follow Real Madrid greats Ferenc Puskas, Clarence Seedorf and Luis Figo by wearing the iconic number 10 jersey after Luka Modric's departure to AC Milan, the LaLiga club said late on Tuesday. The 26-year-old French forward wore the number 9 shirt in his debut season after arriving from Paris St Germain on a free transfer. He scored 44 goals in all competitions in the 2024-25 season, though failed to lift a major trophy. Among the other elite players to wear the number 10 shirt for Real Madrid is Gheorghe Hagi, Michael Laudrop, Robinho and Mesut Ozil.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store