YUSUF MERSIN has become Dover Athletic’s first choice goalkeeper in what has become a difficult 2020-21 campaign.

The Whites have had more fixtures called off than they have played due to Covid-19 with Andy Hessenthaler’s side only playing 11 National League matches, the least in the division.

But Mersin has started six of those games, keeping Josh Bexon and Tom Smith - who have both played in the league this term for Dover - out of the side in recent matches and will be between the posts against Wrexham tomorrow.

Born in London, Mersin began his career at Millwall and commanded a seven-figure transfer fee when he joined Liverpool in January 2011.

After going straight into the Anfield academy, Mersin signed for Turkish Premier League side Kasımpaşa in August 2014 before returning to England with Crawley Town in June 2016.

Standing at an impressive six feet and five inches tall, Mersin made 19 appearances for Crawley during a three-year spell with the League Two club before being released at the end of the 2018/19 campaign.

Mersin, who has represented Turkey at both under-17 and under-18 levels, joined Dover on a two-year contract in May 2019 and made his debut for the Whites in the 2-1 FA Cup fourth qualifying round win over lower league Weymouth in the October.

That led to a run in the Dover side but Mersin lost his place to Charlton Athletic loanee Ashley Maynard-Brewer before the 2019-20 campaign was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.