Sturm Graz are negotiating a deal with Brighton and Hove Albion for goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen to return on loan next season, when he’s recovered from surgery.
That’s according to club spokesman Stefan Haller, who has confirmed the youngster is set to miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on a cruciate ligament injury in his left knee.
Der Standard explain that Sturm Graz will have to be without Scherpen, who joined on loan from Brighton in the summer ‘for a long time’ after the decision was made for him to go under the knife on an injury picked up in training in the summer.
He’s set to undergo surgery in London next Tuesday after playing through the pain with the injury he picked up before the season had even begun.
The 23-year-old has made 27 appearances for Sturm Graz since, the last of which was the 3-0 defeat to Sporting Club de Portugal in the Europa League on Thursday.
The decision has now been made, though, for him to fix the problem, once and for all, with Haller confirming that talks are underway with Brighton for him to return on loan next season instead.
“He won’t play any more games for us this season,” he said.
“We are currently finalizing discussions to extend the loan. The plan is to loan him out again for 2024/25.
“He really wanted to help the team and was able to play without any problems. He could have played next year too, but the operation is being carried out to protect him for the future and not to endanger a long-term career.”
