Mark Flekken has been Brentford’s first-choice goalkeeper since his arrival from Freiburg in May 2023.

Not only does he display incredible shot-stopping ability, his confidence with the ball at his feet is an important component of the Bees’ build-up play.

“Some of it is natural, because I started out as an outfield player,” Flekken said when about his impressive passing range.

“That base layer that I developed back in the day when playing outfield has helped me, even to this day. Of course, it is not only natural. It is a lot of hard work, repetition and practice.”

Flekken started his professional career at Alemannia Aachen, progressing through their youth ranks from the age of 16 having previously played for the academies of RKVV WDZ and Roda JC in his native Netherlands.

Flekken was handed his professional debut in January 2013 against FC Saarbrucken in the German third division, 3 Liga, keeping a clean sheet in a 2-0 win. He would go on to make 13 more appearances that season.

Alemannia Aachen were immediately relegated to the German fourth division after filing for bankruptcy and Flekken was sold to 2 Bundesliga side Gruether Furth.

He made three league appearances in three years for Gruether Furth and predominantly featured for the club’s second team competing in the Regionalliga Bayern, the German fourth tier.

A move to MSV Duisburg followed and Flekken kept 15 clean sheets and scored one goal (a backheel equaliser in the 90th minute) in 37 games as Duisburg won promotion to the 2 Bundesliga followed by a seventh-place finish in their first season back in the German second division.

His performances at Duisburg earned him a move to Bundesliga side SC Freiburg but he had to wait until the last day of the 2018/19 season to make his first appearance and made 11 league appearances the following term.

In August 2020, following the departure of first-choice goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow to Hertha BSC, Flekken claimed the starting role. However, just before the start of the season he dislocated his shoulder which required surgery and he only played the remaining three league games.

He finally got his breakthrough in the 2021/22 Bundesliga season, playing alongside Kevin Schade, where he amassed 32 league games and five fixtures in the DFB-Pokal as Freiburg reached the final, losing on penalties to RB Leipzig.

Flekken also earned his first call-up to the Netherlands squad in November 2021 for the 2022 World Cup qualification matches against Montenegro and Norway. He later made his debut in March 2023 in a friendly against Denmark.

The following season Freiburg finished fifth in the Bundesliga and reached the Europa League round of 16 where they were knocked out by Juventus.

In May 2023, Flekken joined Brentford. He moved to west London having kept more clean sheets (22) than any goalkeeper in the Bundesliga over the previous two seasons.

“It’s a new challenge,” he said. “I turned 30 in June, and I was in a moment where I had to choose to stay for several years or do something new.

“[Brentford] didn’t just try to put honey around my mouth to spoil me; they were honest, and I liked that level of detail and the way they spoke with me.

“It’s a big challenge, and a dream to play in the Premier League.”

During his first campaign with the Bees, Flekken kept seven clean sheets in 37 league games.

In February 2024, he won the Premier League Save of the Month award.

With half-time approaching during the Bees’ meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers on 10 February, a cross from Pablo Sarabia fell to Pedro Neto, who met it with his forehead at the back post. The ball looked destined for the bottom corner, but Flekken clawed it off his line and on to the post, before it was hooked away and the danger was cleared.

Brentford, already 1-0 up at this point courtesy of Christian Nørgaard, went on to win the game 2-0 – Ivan Toney doubling the lead 13 minutes from time.

Flekken was rewarded for his performances with a call-up to the 26-man Netherlands squad for Euro 2024.