Kjell Scherpen (born 23 January 2000) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Austrian Football Bundesliga club Sturm Graz, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, and the Netherlands under-21 national team.
.jpg) Scherpen with Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kjell Scherpen[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 23 January 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Emmen, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sturm Graz (on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion) | ||
| Number | 1 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2007–2011 | VV Emmen[3] | ||
| 2011–2016 | Emmen | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2019 | Emmen | 35 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Jong Ajax | 29 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Ajax | 2 | (0) |
| 2021– | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Oostende (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | → Vitesse (loan) | 26 | (0) |
| 2023– | → Sturm Graz (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2018 | Netherlands U19 | 7 | (0) |
| 2019–2023 | Netherlands U21 | 18 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 December 2023 | |||
Club career
FC Emmen
Scherpen began his senior career with FC Emmen in the 2016–17 season.[4][5]
Ajax
.jpg)
In April 2019 it was announced that he would sign for Ajax in June 2019.[6] His 'signing video' involved him writing the words "Ajax is de mooiste club van Nederland" (Ajax is the most beautiful club in the Netherlands) 1,000 times, given that he had been a childhood supporter of rival club Feyenoord.[7]
Scherpen made his debut for the Ajax senior team on 4 April 2021, as starter Maarten Stekelenburg was injured shortly before kickoff.[8][9]
Brighton & Hove Albion
He was linked with a loan move to Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle,[10] but on 16 July 2021, Scherpen signed for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion on a permanent basis, for an undisclosed fee.[11][12] He made his debut on 8 January 2022, in a 2–1 (after extra-time) away victory over Championship side West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup third round.[13]
On 31 January 2022, Scherpen signed for Oostende of Belgian First Division A on loan for the remainder of the season.[14] He moved on loan to Vitesse in August 2022.[15]
On 6 July 2023, Scherpen signed a season-long loan deal with Austrian Football Bundesliga club Sturm Graz.[16]
International career
He has represented the Netherlands at under-19 and under-21 youth levels.[17][18] Scherpen was called-up to the senior squad for the first time in June 2022, replacing the injured Tim Krul.[19]
Personal life
When he was 18 years old, his older brother Jorg (20) died after having been in a coma following a sudden cardiac arrest.[20]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 18 December 2023[4]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Emmen | 2017–18 | Eerste Divisie | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | Eredivisie | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 0 | |||
| Total | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 0 | ||||
| Jong Ajax | 2019–20 | Eerste Divisie | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21 | Eerste Divisie | 15 | 0 | — | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 29 | 0 | — | — | — | 29 | 0 | |||||
| Ajax | 2019–20 | Eredivisie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | Eredivisie | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Total | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Oostende (loan) | 2021–22 | Belgian Pro League | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| Vitesse (loan) | 2022–23 | Eredivisie | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 0 | ||
| Sturm Graz (loan) | 2023–24 | Austrian Bundesliga | 16 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 8[d] | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| Career total | 115 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 130 | 0 | ||
Honours
Ajax[4]