Kjell Scherpen
{{Short description|Dutch footballer (born 2000)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Kjell Scherpen
| image = FC Red Bull Salzburg gegen SK Sturm Graz (2025-03-02 Österreichische Bundesliga) 54.jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption = Scherpen with Sturm Graz in 2025
| full_name = Kjell Scherpen{{cite news |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/2247219 |title=2021/22 Premier League squads confirmed |publisher=Premier League |date=10 September 2021 |access-date=12 September 2021}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|1|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = Emmen, Netherlands
| position = Goalkeeper
| currentclub = Sturm Graz
(on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion)
| clubnumber = 1
| youthyears1 = 2007–2011
| youthclubs1 = VV Emmen{{cite news |last1=Jeuring |first1=Frank |title=Amateurs VV Emmen apetrots op transfer Kjell Scherpen: 'Als jochie stond-ie al goed op de voorvoeten' |url=https://www.dvhn.nl/drenthe/Amateurs-VV-Emmen-apetrots-op-transfer-Kjell-Scherpen-Als-jochie-stond-ie-al-goed-op-de-voorvoeten-24383048.html |access-date=8 August 2020 |work=Dagblad van het Noorden |agency=NDC |date=19 April 2019}}
| youthyears2 = 2011–2016
| youthclubs2 = Emmen
| years1 = 2016–2019
| clubs1 = Emmen
| caps1 = 35
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2019–2021
| clubs2 = Jong Ajax
| caps2 = 29
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2019–2021
| clubs3 = Ajax
| caps3 = 2
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2021–
| clubs4 = Brighton & Hove Albion
| caps4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2022
| clubs5 = → Oostende (loan)
| caps5 = 7
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2022–2023
| clubs6 = → Vitesse (loan)
| caps6 = 26
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2023–2024
| clubs7 = → Sturm Graz (loan)
| caps7 = 16
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2024–
| clubs8 = → Sturm Graz (loan)
| caps8 = 26
| goals8 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2018
| nationalteam1 = Netherlands U19
| nationalcaps1 = 7
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2019–2023
| nationalteam2 = Netherlands U21
| nationalcaps2 = 18
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 18:44, 27 April 2025 (UTC)
| ntupdate =
}}
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 {{English football updater|Brigh&HA}} club Brighton & Hove Albion, and the Netherlands under-21 national team.
Club career
=FC Emmen=
Scherpen began his senior career with FC Emmen in the 2016–17 season.{{Soccerway|kjell-scherpen/461386|accessdate=2 May 2018}}{{WorldFootball.net|kjell-scherpen}}
=Ajax=
File:Kjell Scherpen (Ajax Amsterdam).jpg.]]
In April 2019 it was announced that he would sign for Ajax in June 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.mercato365.com/kjell-scherpen-fc-emmen-rejoindra-lajax-amsterdam-cet-ete-9073255.html|title=Kjell Scherpen (FC Emmen) rejoindra l'Ajax Amsterdam cet été|date=25 April 2019|accessdate=26 April 2019|language=fr}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/ajax-make-new-signing-kjell-scherpen-write-1000-lines-praising-the-club/news-story/1afb54ef6891d34b2c32d354667bf6c0|title=Ajax transfer news, Kjell Scherpen writing 1000 lines, Edwin van der Sar, Marc Overmars|date=26 April 2019|access-date=26 April 2019}}
Scherpen made his debut for the Ajax senior team on 4 April 2021, as starter Maarten Stekelenburg was injured shortly before kickoff.{{Cite web|title=Verslag {{!}} Moeizame zege in Friesland|url=https://www.ajax.nl/artikelen/verslag-moeizame-zege-in-friesland/|access-date=5 April 2021|website=AFC Ajax|language=nl}}{{cite tweet |author=AFC Ajax |author-link=AFC Ajax |user=AFCAjax |number=1378718424302546945 |date=4 April 2021 |title=We are forced into an substitution, as an injury to Stekelenburg sees him replaced by Scherpen. #heeaja https://t.co/Fdd8ewIlxw|access-date=14 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210404143807/https://twitter.com/AFCAjax/status/1378718424302546945 |archive-date=4 April 2021 |url-status=live}}
=Brighton & Hove Albion=
He was linked with a loan move to Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle,{{Cite web|title=Doelman Kjell Scherpen op huurbasis naar PEC Zwolle|url=https://www.rtvdrenthe.nl/nieuws/170218/Doelman-Kjell-Scherpen-op-huurbasis-naar-PEC-Zwolle|access-date=18 May 2021|website=RTV Drenthe|language=NL}} but on 16 July 2021, Scherpen signed for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion permanently for an undisclosed fee.{{Cite web|first=Paul|last=Hazlewood|title=Albion sign keeper Kjell|url=https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2191398/albion-sign-keeper-kjell|website=Brighton & Hove Albion|date=16 July 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57870550|title=Ajax goalkeeper Scherpen joins Brighton|website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=16 July 2021}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59911369|title=West Bromwich Albion 1–2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Neal Maupay hits extra-time winner|website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=8 January 2022|access-date=8 January 2022}}
On 31 January 2022, Scherpen signed for Oostende of Belgian First Division A on loan for the remainder of the season.{{cite news|url=https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2468547/kjell-scherpen-joins-oostende-on-loan |title= Kjell Scherpen joins Oostende on loan|publisher=Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|access-date=31 January 2022|date=1 February 2022}} He moved on loan to Vitesse in August 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/vitesse-arnhem-brighton-netherlands-dutch-ajax-b2146134.html|title=Brighton goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen joins Vitesse Arnhem on season-long loan|website=The Independent|date=16 August 2022}}
File:Kjell Scherpen pre season 30 07 2022 32 (cropped).jpg in 2022.]]
On 6 July 2023, Scherpen signed a season-long loan deal with Austrian Football Bundesliga club Sturm Graz.{{cite web|url=https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/3571428/kjell-scherpen-joins-sturm-graz-on-loan|title=Kjell Scherpen joins Sturm Graz on loan|publisher=Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|date=6 July 2023|access-date=12 July 2023}}
In December 2023, Scherpen signed a new contract with the club until 2027.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/24011418.brighton-goalkeeper-kjell-scherpen-signs-deal-surgery/|title=Albion keeper signs new deal after season is ended by knee surgery|date=26 December 2023|website=The Argus}} He returned on loan to Sturm Graz for the 2024–25 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/4048639/kjell-scherpen-joins-sturm-graz-on-loan|title=Kjell Scherpen joins Sturm Graz on loan|website=Brighton & Hove Albion|date=2 July 2024|accessdate=8 July 2024}}
International career
Having represented the Netherlands at under-19 and under-21 youth levels,{{cite web|url=https://www.onsoranje.nl/teams/185185/speler/25296|title=OnsOranje|website=www.onsoranje.nl|accessdate=6 June 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.onsoranje.nl/teams/185189/speler/25296|title=OnsOranje|website=www.onsoranje.nl|accessdate=26 April 2019}} Scherpen received his first call-up to the Dutch senior squad in June 2022 to replace the injured Tim Krul.{{cite web|url=https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2640533/scherpen-gets-senior-call-up|title=Scherpen gets senior call-up|website=Brighton & Hove Albion|date=6 June 2022|access-date=7 June 2022}}
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.{{Cite web|title=Broer (20) van FC Emmen-doelman Scherpen overleden|url=https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetbal/broer-20-van-fc-emmen-doelman-scherpen-overleden~a50ae878/|website=Algemeen Dagblad|date=19 February 2019|language=nl}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 27 April 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes KNVB Cup, FA Cup, Austrian Cup}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes EFL Cup}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|FC Emmen
|1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19
|34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 35 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||36 | 0 | |||||
| rowspan="3"|Jong Ajax
|Eerste Divisie |14 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 0 | ||||
| 2020–21
|Eerste Divisie |15 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 15 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!29 | 0 | colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||29 | 0 | |||||||
| rowspan="3"|Ajax
|Eredivisie |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21
|Eredivisie |2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1{{efn|name=UEL|Appearance in UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|—||1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||
| rowspan="5"|Brighton & Hove Albion
|0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Oostende (loan)
|7 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Vitesse (loan)
|Eredivisie |26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 26 | 0 | |||
| Sturm Graz (loan)
|16 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 8{{efn|Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six in UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | 27 | 0 | ||
| Sturm Graz (loan)
|Austrian Bundesliga |26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 6{{efn|name=UCL|Appearances in UEFA Champions League}} | 0 | 36 | 0 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!141 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 166 | 0 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
{{SK Sturm Graz squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scherpen, Kjell}}
Category:Footballers from Emmen, Netherlands
Category:Dutch men's footballers
Category:Netherlands men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football goalkeepers
Category:Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
Category:K.V. Oostende players
Category:SK Sturm Graz players
Category:Eerste Divisie players
Category:Belgian Pro League players
Category:Austrian Football Bundesliga players
Category:Dutch expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
Category:Netherlands men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Austria