Motherwell have signed Alex Paulsen on loan from Bournemouth, moving quickly to fill the goalkeeper vacancy left by Calum Ward's departure. Alfred Johansson has made the fit sound deliberate rather than hopeful, calling Paulsen a very similar type of goalkeeper to Ward. The New Zealand international arrives after two seasons on loan away from Bournemouth, including spells at Auckland and Lechia Gdansk.
Johansson's goalkeeper fit
Johansson said Paulsen had a hugely successful spell in Australia and New Zealand, where he collected personal accolades, and that he had also been part of teams that liked to play a certain style of football. With Calum moving on, he said it was obvious Motherwell needed to recruit in that position.
That is the practical part of this move. It is not a marquee signing, but it does look like a targeted one. Motherwell are fourth in the Premiership championship round and have 61 points from 38 matches, so this is a club looking to keep things steady while replacing a starter, not scrambling through a crisis.
Paulsen's route into the move also makes sense. Bournemouth paid a reported £2m for him two years ago, but he has spent the last two seasons out on loan. He played 24 times in Poland's top tier for Lechia Gdansk last term, and the club finished 16th in an 18-team division and were relegated.
What Paulsen said about the move
Paulsen said he had a great feeling coming in, had spoken to Elijah Just about the club, and was excited by what lay ahead. He also said he had a wonderful summer with New Zealand at the World Cup and feels fresh going into the season.
That international link is useful for Motherwell too. Just scored 3 goals in 3 World Cup appearances and has a 7.87 rating, so Paulsen is arriving with a reference point inside the dressing room that already carries some weight.
The move is a tidy one for Motherwell. They have replaced Ward with a keeper Johannsson sees as stylistically similar, and they have done it with a player who has had game time away from Bournemouth rather than sitting idle. The next step is simply whether Paulsen settles quickly when the competitive matches begin.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →