Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen has joined Motherwell on a season-long loan from Premier League side Bournemouth.
The 24-year-old New Zealand international is the third signing for Motherwell's manager Alfred Johansson this summer.
Adding more international talent 🇳🇿 Welcome to Motherwell, Alex Paulsen.https://t.co/rt8yc14bde pic.twitter.com/0m4Mc4C9Yh
— Motherwell FC (@MotherwellFC) July 13, 2026
Paulsen will add competition for the number one position following the departure of Calum Ward.
Johansson said: "Alex has already shown domestically and internationally that he is an impressive goalkeeper with an exciting career ahead of him.
"He had a hugely successful spell in Australia and New Zealand, where he received a number of personal accolades, but he was also a part of teams that liked to play a certain style of football, and they achieved their targets.
"His last two loan moves have been successful for him personally, and we see this as the next step for his development.
"He is highly thought of by his country. He has just arrived back from being in the New Zealand World Cup squad, so he is ready to hit the ground running.
"With Calum moving on, it was obvious that we needed to recruit in this position.
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"We see Alex as a very similar type of goalkeeper in terms of his strengths. Matty did very well in our friendly match in Denmark and against Carlisle, and bringing Alex in will increase competition in this area."
On the international stage, Paulsen has eight caps for New Zealand and was named in their 2026 World Cup squad.
Paulsen said, "I’ve got a great feeling coming in here. Obviously, I’ve been able to speak to Elijah about the club, and everything he has said has got me excited about what’s to come. I know coming here that I’ll need to work hard to get into this team.
"There is a strong goalkeeping contingent already in the building, so the work starts now for me. I’ve had a wonderful summer with my country at the World Cup and feel fresh coming into this season.
"We have some huge matches just around the corner, and we all need to be ready for the competitive action. I’ve spoken to the manager and have been so impressed with the way he has spoken to me.
"There is a clear vision, and I hope I can help the team achieve that."
