'I signed for Xabi Alonso!' - Mark Flekken says he agreed Bayer Leverkusen move before new Real Madrid coach left but reveals 11-year long campaign to convince Erik ten Hag to sign him

Flekken officially joined Bayer Leverkusen in the beginning of July from Brentford. Although Ten Hag has now taken over as head coach at Leverkusen, Flekken clarified that he had already agreed to the transfer before Alonso’s departure. Interestingly, the Dutch goalkeeper revealed he had been on his compatriot's radar for over a decade, dating back to their time in Germany's lower leagues.

Leverkusen are undergoing a notable shift both on and off the pitch. With Alonso departing for Real Madrid, new boss Ten Hag is now tasked with sustaining the club’s upward momentum. In goal, the arrival of Dutch international Flekken signals the start of a new chapter, as he is expected to compete with, and potentially succeed, long-time captain Lukas Hradecky. Although Flekken had already agreed to join Leverkusen before Alonso’s exit, his connection with Ten Hag adds extra narrative weight. The Dutch coach wrote to him after the deal was finalised: “Now the time has finally come for us to work together after 11 years.” Flekken had long hoped to play under Ten Hag, with past opportunities at Utrecht and Ajax falling through, making their long-overdue link-up at the BayArena a personal milestone.

Flekken told BILD: "My agent had been in contact with Erik several times before. He discussed opportunities to sign me, for example, when he was at Utrecht or Ajax. But it just never worked out."

He added: "I first played against Erik when he was still coach of Bayern Munich II. I played for Greuther Furth II. So, we had known each other from a distance for a while. We had never spoken in person, but we had played against each other several times."

Despite the strong ties, Flekken clarified that Ten Hag’s arrival wasn’t the reason for his move: "I had already reached a verbal agreement before Xabi Alonso made his decision to leave."

On replacing Hradecky, he stressed mutual respect and healthy competition: "We get along well, we can laugh together, we can work together seriously and that is the be-all and end-all for me."

All eyes will be on how the Dutch pair reshape Leverkusen’s defensive setup. Hradecky, though now second-choice, is expected to push hard for his spot, adding healthy competition. For Ten Hag, blending his philosophy into an already well-drilled title-winning side will be a delicate but fascinating challenge in 2025-26.