Brentford are reportedly close to signing Freiburg’s Mark Flekken as a replacement for their current goalkeeper David Raya.
Brentford are reportedly set to sign Freiburg goalkeeper Mark Flekken as a replacement for David Raya.
The Spain international is set to enter the final 12 months of his contract, and it appears unlikely that he will sign an extension.
Raya has previously admitted that he has rejected two contract offers, and as a result, the West London club are expected to sanction a sale this summer rather than risk losing him on a free transfer next year.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank recently stated that interested clubs would have to pay at least £40m to secure Raya’s services this summer.
The likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have both been linked with the Spaniard, who is keen to play European football.
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With Raya heading towards the exit door, Brentford have seemingly made progress in their search to sign a replacement.
According to journalist Florian Plettenberg, the Bees have reached a verbal agreement with Flekken to sign the Dutchman this summer.
Brentford, who have held an interest in Flekken for two years, are prepared to activate his release clause, which is said to be in the region of €13m (£11.3m).
The Netherlands international is expected to put pen to paper on a long-term contract until June 2028 in the coming days.
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Flekken has featured in 42 games across all competitions this term, including all 32 of Freiburg’s Bundesliga matches.
No goalkeeper in the top flight has kept more clean sheets in the 2022-23 season than Flekken, who has recorded 12 shutouts – a figure that can only be matched by Wolfsburg’s Koen Casteels.
Flekken, who has spent the entirety of his club career in Germany, has kept 29 clean sheets in 94 appearances during his time with Freiburg.
Brentford, meanwhile, are enjoying a successful season in the top half of the Premier League table, and they will travel across London to face Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday in their penultimate fixture of the season.
