Flekken Departs for Bayer Leverkusen, Kelleher Arrives from Liverpool
Brentford has sold goalkeeper Mark Flekken to Bayer Leverkusen, with the Dutch international signing a three-year deal with the Bundesliga club. Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes praised Flekken’s skills, highlighting his strong reflexes, good control of the penalty area, and impressive reach due to his 1.95-meter height.
Flekken, 31, spent two years at Brentford, making 77 appearances for the Premier League club. According to Brentford director of football Phil Giles, the club had expected Flekken to be their goalkeeper for many more years, but understood his desire to move closer to home and compete in the Champions League.
The opportunity to join Bayer Leverkusen, a top German club with ambitious national and European goals, clearly appealed to Flekken. “I love the Bundesliga and, of course, I’m also looking forward to challenging for the Champions League with the Werkself,” he said.
In a swift move, Brentford announced the signing of Caoimhin Kelleher from Liverpool just hours after Flekken’s departure was confirmed. Kelleher, an Ireland international, will join Brentford on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee. Giles revealed that the club had scouted Kelleher in the past and considered him a suitable replacement for Flekken.
Kelleher, who was the No. 2 goalkeeper at Liverpool behind Alisson Becker, brings valuable experience to the Brentford squad. With his skills and expertise, Kelleher is expected to make a significant contribution to the team’s success.
The transfer deal reflects Brentford’s proactive approach to squad management, ensuring that they have the right players in place to achieve their goals. With Flekken’s departure and Kelleher’s arrival, Brentford’s goalkeeping lineup has undergone a significant change.
