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Bayer Leverkusen have been active in the transfer window with the arrival of Brentford’s Mark Flekken for €10m their latest capture. The Dutchman will be competing with Lukas Hradecky to become Erik ten Hag’s number one, but the latter has no intention of giving up his spot.
“I won’t give away my place,” Hradecky told Finnish outlet Iltalehti. “Let’s see if there’s a hybrid model in terms of playing.” Last season, the 35-year-old played 29 out of 34 Bundesliga games under Xabi Alonso, with Matej Kovar playing the other five. Kovar – who will likely leave Leverkusen – played more Champions League and German Cup games last season.
Before making a decision on his future, Hradecky will speak to Ten Hag to discover what his playing prospects will be like. “I have a contract with Leverkusen, but I can’t promise anything,” added the Finn. “I will definitely consider it if a one-off offer comes from somewhere I can play safely.”
Hradecky has been a loyal servant to Leverkusen following his free transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2018, playing 286 games across all competitions and becoming a Bundesliga and German Cup winner with die Werkself, but faces stiff competition from Flekken.
Is Mark Flekken an upgrade?
The former Freiburg goalkeeper comes with a wealth of experience having played 80 games in the Bundesliga, as well as seven games in the Europa League. He would be seen as an upgrade to Lukas Hradecky (35, Contract until 2026) and Matej Kovar (25, Contract until 2027), both of whom shared the No. 1 shirt last season.
GGFN | Daniel Pinder
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