Kjell Scherpen
Dutch footballer (born 2000)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kjell Scherpen (born 23 January 2000) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Ipswich Town.
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|
Scherpen with Sturm Graz in 2025 | |||
| 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 | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Ipswich Town | ||
| 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) |
| 2021–2025 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Oostende (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | → Vitesse (loan) | 26 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Sturm Graz (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → Sturm Graz (loan) | 30 | (0) |
| 2025–2026 | Union SG | 32 | (0) |
| 2026– | Ipswich Town | 0 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2018 | Netherlands U19 | 7 | (0) |
| 2019–2023 | Netherlands U21 | 18 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18:30, 24 May 2026 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Emmen
Scherpen began his senior career with Emmen in the 2016–17 season.[4][5]
Ajax
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In April 2019, it was announced that Scherpen 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, as 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
Scherpen was linked with a loan move to Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle;[10] but, on 16 July 2021, he signed for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion permanently 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]
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On 6 July 2023, Scherpen signed a season-long loan deal with Austrian Football Bundesliga club Sturm Graz.[16]
In December 2023, Scherpen signed a new contract with the club until 2027.[17] He returned on loan to Sturm Graz for the 2024–25 season.[18]
Union SG
On 24 July 2025, Scherpen signed for Belgian Pro League club Union SG for an undisclosed fee.[19]
Ipswich Town
In July 2026, he signed for Ipswich Town, on a four-year contract.[20]
International career
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.[24]
Career statistics
- As of match played 14 May 2026[4]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| 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 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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 | 0 | 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 | ||
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25 | 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 | |
| Sturm Graz (loan) | 2024–25 | Austrian Bundesliga | 30 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 6[e] | 0 | 40 | 0 | |
| Union SG | 2025–26 | Belgian Pro League | 29 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 8[e] | 0 | 40 | 0 | |
| Ipswich Town | 2026–27 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 174 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 210 | 0 | ||
- Includes KNVB Cup, FA Cup, Austrian Cup
- Appearance in UEFA Europa League
- Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League