Profile
Sam Kersten is a 28-year-old Dutch centre-back born January 30, 1998 in Nijmegen, Netherlands.[reference:0][reference:1] 191cm, 86kg, right-footed.[reference:2][reference:3] At SC Heerenveen since July 2024, he has made over 60 appearances for the club.[reference:4][reference:5] Contract until June 30, 2027.[reference:6][reference:7] Career path: FC Den Bosch (80+ appearances, 2016-2019) โ PEC Zwolle (110+ appearances, 2019-2024) โ SC Heerenveen (2024-).[reference:8][reference:9] Has over 220 Eredivisie appearances across his career.[reference:10] Market value: โฌ2.0M.[reference:11]
T3 Status
0/16 T3 metrics pending validation. This card is a Tier 1 + Tier 2 proxy only. All T3 sub-metrics (OBI_T, OBI_S, OBI_P, SII_A, SII_T, SII_R, DMA, SPI, CHR, MCS, CLM, CRS, OMS, DYN, CRK, COACH) require minimum 5 full matches of HD video assessment. Video links are provided โ assessment pending. Do not use for final recruitment decisions until T3 validation is complete.
Empire FGA Verdict (Provisional)
FGA 6.3 (PROXY) โ ESTABLISHED EREDIVISIE STARTER ยท EXPERIENCED DEFENDER ยท T3 PENDING. Sam Kersten is a 28-year-old Dutch centre-back who has established himself as a reliable starter for SC Heerenveen. With 32 appearances, 2,442 minutes in the 2025-26 Eredivisie, he has proven his durability and consistency. His defensive metrics (5.1 clearances per game, 5 clean sheets) suggest a solid defensive profile. All Tier 3 metrics remain unvalidated โ the card is provisional pending video assessment. If the T3 validates the defensive positioning and decision-making, Kersten could be a valuable target for clubs needing an experienced, reliable centre-back.
Technical / Attacking
Mental / Tactical
Physical / Defensive
Tier 1 โ FBref ยท Sofascore ยท Transfermarkt
Tier 2 โ Composite Scores (Proxy)
FGA Weighting Breakdown
LOG Context
Eredivisie: Tier 2.8 (confirmed)
KNVB Beker: Tier 2.4
LOG 2.8 reflects the Eredivisie context. Kersten has performed consistently in the Eredivisie across multiple seasons, with over 220 appearances in the competition.[reference:12]
Tier 3 ยท Pending Video Assessment ยท 0/16 Confirmed
OBI_S 0 events โ space creation not yet assessed
OBI_P 0 events โ positional anticipation not yet assessed
OBI composite PENDING โ requires 5+ full matches
SII_T 0 events โ top speed not yet assessed
SII_R 0 events โ recovery sprints not yet assessed
SII composite PENDING โ requires 5+ full matches
โ OBI_S (0 events)
โ OBI_P (0 events)
โ SII_A (0 events)
โ SII_T (0 events)
โ SII_R (0 events)
โ DMA (0 events)
โ SPI (0 events)
โ CHR (0 events)
โ MCS (0 events)
โ CLM (0 events)
โ CRS (0 events)
โ OMS (0 events)
โ DYN (0 events)
โ CRK (0 events)
โ COACH (0 events)
0/16 metrics confirmed โ video assessment pending
Cross-League Performance Projection
LOG (Level of Game) contextualizes performance across leagues of differing quality using Empire FGA's Competition_Tier_Base reference. Kersten's current FGA of 6.3 is a T1-based proxy โ all Tier 3 metrics remain unvalidated. The projection assumes his current output (32 appearances, 5 clean sheets, 5.1 clearances per game) translates proportionally to higher leagues.
Methodology
Formula: LOG-Adjusted Score = Base FGA ร (Current League Tier รท Target League Tier).
Premier League: 6.3 ร (2.8 รท 3.7) = 5.9
Bundesliga: 6.3 ร (2.8 รท 3.6) = 6.0
Read before sending to a club: this projection is based on Tier 1 data only. Kersten's defensive metrics (5.1 clearances per game) and experience (220+ Eredivisie appearances) suggest he could function as a reliable centre-back at a higher level. T3 validation is required to determine whether the defensive positioning and decision-making translate to higher leagues.
Top 10 Philosophy Fits (Proxy)
Tactical Archetype (Proxy)
"The Reliable Zonal Centre-Back" โ A centre-back whose primary value is defensive solidity and reliability. 5.1 clearances per game and 5 clean sheets in 32 appearances suggest a strong defensive profile. 191cm, 86kg gives him a physical presence. T3 validation will determine whether the positioning and decision-making match the statistical profile.
Career Statistics
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-19 | FC Den Bosch | Eerste Divisie | 80+ | 0 | 5 |
| 2019-24 | PEC Zwolle | Eredivisie | 110+ | 0 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | SC Heerenveen | Eredivisie | 30 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025-26 | SC Heerenveen | Eredivisie | 32 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | SC Heerenveen | KNVB Beker | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Career Total | ~260 | ~2 | ~8 | ||
Transfer History
| From โ To | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Den Bosch โ PEC Zwolle | Free | 2019 |
| PEC Zwolle โ SC Heerenveen | Free | 2024 |
| Market value | โฌ2.0M | |
Physical Profile
Injury & Medical History
โ Positive Filters
- 32 appearances, 2,442 minutes in 2025-26 โ established, reliable starter
- 5 clean sheets in 32 appearances โ solid defensive record
- 5.1 clearances per game โ strong defensive volume
- 191cm, 86kg physical profile โ dominant aerial presence
- 220+ Eredivisie appearances โ vast experience at this level
- Over 60 appearances for SC Heerenveen โ established at the club
- Market value โฌ2.0M โ solid value for an experienced starter
- Contract until 2027 โ stability at SC Heerenveen
- Age 28 โ in his prime years
- Versatile career experience โ played in Eerste Divisie and Eredivisie
โ Caution Signals
- All Tier 3 metrics pending โ no video validation of defensive positioning, decision-making, or mental attributes
- Low attacking contribution (1 goal in 62 Heerenveen apps) โ limited threat from set pieces
- Low assist numbers โ limited creative output from defence
- Age 28 โ limited development runway; physical attributes are mature
- No international caps โ unproven at national team level
- Limited European experience โ primarily played in domestic competitions
โ Critical Gaps
- 0/16 T3 metrics validated โ no video evidence for OBI, SII, DMA, CHR, MCS, CLM, CRS, OMS, DYN, CRK, COACH
- No off-ball movement assessment โ OBI_T, OBI_S, OBI_P all unverified
- No sprint profile โ SII_A, SII_T, SII_R all unverified
- No character or mental assessment โ CHR, MCS, CLM, CRS all unverified
- Decision-making under pressure unverified โ DMA, OMS, CRK all unverified
- Coachability unknown โ COACH metric unverified
- Defensive positioning unverified โ despite strong clearance numbers, positioning needs video confirmation
โ Empire FGA Verdict (Provisional)
FGA 6.3 (PROXY) โ ESTABLISHED EREDIVISIE STARTER ยท EXPERIENCED DEFENDER ยท T3 PENDING. Sam Kersten is a 28-year-old Dutch centre-back who has established himself as a reliable starter for SC Heerenveen. With 32 appearances, 2,442 minutes in the 2025-26 Eredivisie, he has proven his durability and consistency. His defensive metrics (5.1 clearances per game, 5 clean sheets) suggest a solid defensive profile. All Tier 3 metrics remain unvalidated โ the card is provisional pending video assessment. If the T3 validates the defensive positioning and decision-making, Kersten could be a valuable target for clubs needing an experienced, reliable centre-back. However, the low attacking contribution and age (28) are factors to consider. Recommended for clubs needing a reliable, experienced squad option with strong defensive fundamentals. Not recommended for clubs requiring a ball-playing centre-back or a younger player with development runway.