Scherpen Deal Close
Thursday, 23rd Jul 2026 13:15

Town are reported to be close to agreeing a deal with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise for Dutch keeper Kjell Scherpen.

The Blues played down interest in the 26-year-old when approached by TWTD back in May, but the link re-emerged earlier this month.

Last week, the Belgian side turned down a Town offer, but with talks between the clubs continuing.

Now, according to Voetball International, a deal is close to being completed with only minor details left to be agreed.

Emmen-born Scherpen had been with Brighton & Hove Albion for four years until last summer, spending spells on loan at Oostende, Vitesse and Sturm Graz making one senior appearance for the Seagulls in the FA Cup. The Sussex club are reported to be due 40 per cent of the profit on the fee they received.

The 6ft 9in tall keeper, who was capped by the Netherlands at U19 and U21 levels, joined Union SG - Brighton’s sister club - on a permanent basis in July last year for £4.2 million and enjoyed an impressive season as his side finished second in the Belgian Pro League and won the Belgian Cup.

If the deal is completed, Scherpen will come in as Town’s number one ahead of the club’s current keepers and fellow Dutchman Kayne van Oevelen, who signed from Volendam earlier in the week.

The Blues are close to confirming their fifth senior signing of the summer with Japanese forward Daizen Maeda due to undergo his medical today, the clubs having agreed an initial £8 million plus a further £2 million in add-ons.

Photo: BELGA via Reuters Connect

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muccletonjoe added 13:21 - Jul 23 6' 9", that is some catching ability at corners !
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Litfc00 added 13:22 - Jul 23 Seems like a sensible signing. Hope we go back in for his USG teammate Anan Khalaili, would be a great fit for town as a right wing back. Promise David also plays for USG and is a real handful up front.
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FifeITFC added 13:24 - Jul 23 Remember we thought the giant Tomas Holy and people assumed he would be great at crosses, muccletonjoe...
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Jammas_Volley added 13:28 - Jul 23 I make that one foot one taller than Laurie Sivell
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Bazza8564 added 13:33 - Jul 23 Well if hes a foot taller and equally as brave as Sivell that'll do me, because he was one hell of a gutsy keeper!
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Edmundo added 13:38 - Jul 23 Tallest goalie in the world?
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rjm added 13:42 - Jul 23 If you look at the stats for USG last season their defence was the best in the Belgian league by a solid 20-30 goals conceded less than the second best defence. The keeper has to have some part to play in that, any doubts should go out the window, I think he looks amazing
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blues1 added 13:45 - Jul 23 Edmundo. No. Tallest is Simon Bloch,( Danish keeper), whos 6ft 10½.
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Marcus added 13:51 - Jul 23 Edmundo - yes, if you exclude semi-pros, amateur and retired players. Kristof Van Hout is taller, but retired recently.
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Marcus added 13:56 - Jul 23 Good shout, blues1, although he also recently retired
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Carberry added 14:15 - Jul 23

Funny old world isn't it, Brighton have him for 4 years, loan him out and decide they don't want him. They then sell him to their sister club for £4.2m, which is a very chunky number for a Belgian keeper, plays for one season and is then good enough to be 1st choice for a Premier League club, and Brighton get 40% of the sell-on profit when he comes to us.
But he is 6ft 9 in!

OldFart71 added 14:20 - Jul 23 Be interesting to know when the pencilled Scherpen in.
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StowTractor added 14:26 - Jul 23

So 6 links at the start of the week. 3 announced, 1 probably almost ready to be announced and a 5th very close. 5 out of 6 aint bad at all. Happy for Hull to have the scraps that didn't go through so long as we beat them to the Swiss striker.

Have to say I had started to get a bit sceptical about "deals a way down the road to being done" & "deals will happen once the World Cup is done and dusted" lines. But deals have been done and continue to be done in the 4 days since the WC ended. And the 3 outfield players we have agreed moves for were all at the WC this summer, with rumours of interest in a 4th. Never thought I would see Town sign so many current internationals with recent experience in the WC.

Razor added 14:35 - Jul 23 Get my Japanese friend in from celtic and all will be well
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blues1 added 14:40 - Jul 23 Marcus thanks, didn't realise that.
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PackwoodBlue added 14:45 - Jul 23

Looks very decent. Makes some good saves look a bit theatrical at times (like many keepers do!) My only concern, from his showreel is that he scoops a lot of his saves back into the danger area, even some tamer shots on target. Would like to see him hold on to a few more, rather than pushing back out to the six yard box and out for unnecessary corners. Not sure what his distribution is like. I'm a big fan of CW but this guy probably looks a step up, if I'm being honest.

StowTractor added 14:49 - Jul 23

Ashton must really ask Tony Bloom for tips on how to maximise profits when selling fringe players. Some of the fees that Brighton command when selling those with negligible first team minutes are eye watering. But a 40% sell on clause. If we could include that sort of level in the deals when we sell Jaden and eventually other young prospects we could be raking in the money in future seasons.
All the more reason to develop our own from within the Tier 1 academy too. When we cone to sell them the entire fee is pure profit.

superblues9 added 14:56 - Jul 23 Which keepers r going aren't going to keep them all surely slicker will go more will follow surely
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blue added 15:10 - Jul 23 im not having this we want a taller goalie and a width of a tank in goal if we going to win the premiership lol
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TownSupporter added 15:27 - Jul 23 Impressive agility for a tall keeper. He looks like a cracking buy.
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BlueMoon added 15:46 - Jul 23 Fits our profile - at 6ft9 he's got to have a really high ceiling.
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herfie added 15:56 - Jul 23 Have to set the bar really high! A solid addition to the ranks; assume either Walton or Palmer will leave - or possibly both.
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SurreyBlueGirl added 16:06 - Jul 23 West Brom are being linked with a move to take Palmer back
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LegendofthePhoenix added 16:14 - Jul 23 Goodness me, there are a lot of "Worldy" saves on that highlight reel. He looks incredible. So can anyone explain why 2 years ago we splurged £10M on Aro Muric, when we can now get a keeper like this for considerably less? I guess that's the scouting and recruitment team paid for already.
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