Dutch goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen is set to make a high-profile switch to England’s Premier League, with Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise confirming a transfer fee of at least €10 million. The 26-year-old shot-stopper will leave Brussels for promoted side Ipswich Town, with the English club also offering potential performance-based bonuses that could push the total to €13 million.
Scherpen’s move caps an impressive season in Belgium, where he helped Union Saint-Gilloise secure the Croky Cup while earning the Golden Glove award for most clean sheets. His consistent performances have drawn attention from top European clubs, though his journey to this point has been anything but straightforward.
Drafted by Brighton & Hove Albion from Ajax in the summer of 2021 for €5 million, Scherpen struggled to break into the first team and was loaned out to KV Ostende, Vitesse Arnhem, and Sturm Graz before making a permanent switch to Union Saint-Gilloise last summer for around €2 million. His four-year contract in Belgium is now set to be terminated early as he prepares to join Ipswich Town on a long-term deal.
The move comes after medical examinations and a successful negotiation period. Scherpen, standing at 1.86 meters, will compete for the starting goalkeeper position at Ipswich with established names like Christian Walton, who was the club’s first-choice last season. Additionally, Ipswich has bolstered its squad with midfielder Kayne van Oevelen, arriving from FC Volendam, adding further competition in the team’s ranks.
With Ipswich Town’s preseason fixtures underway, fans can expect to see Scherpen in action soon as he finalizes his transition to English football’s top tier.