Ipswich Town are looking to establish themselves as a Premier League club following promotion. To do so, they have entrusted their goal to Dutch goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen.

The 26-year-old goalkeeper will become the tallest player in Premier League history. At 6-foot-9, he beats the previous record by less than half an inch.

His height is his most obvious attribute. His command of the aerial game, positioning, and leadership make him a highly sought-after goalkeeper.

He joins from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise. This season, he has conceded just 20 league goals while keeping 11 clean sheets. He also has Champions League experience.

He started out at FC Emmen, making his first-team debut in the Dutch second division at 16. By 18, he was already the undisputed starter.

In 2019, he signed for Ajax. An admitted Feyenoord fan, Ajax’s archrival, he was made to write “Ajax is the most beautiful club in the Netherlands” 1,000 times as punishment.

When Kjell was still very young, his older brother Jorg died of cardiac arrest at the age of 20. Kjell honors him by wearing No. 37, as Jorg was born on July 3.

In 2021, Scherpen signed for Brighton. He then had loan spells at Oostende, Vitesse, and Sturm Graz, where he finally enjoyed his breakthrough.

In his first year at Sturm Graz, he tore the ACL in his left knee. He played 27 games before undergoing surgery.

Kjell Scherpen has also been called up to the senior Netherlands squad on six occasions, although he has yet to make his international debut.