World Cup star sells Premiership move to Motherwell keeper who nearly joined Hibs

Compatriot Alex Paulsen arrived on loan from Bournemouth for the upcoming season and capped eight times by the All Whites, he was made fully aware by Just of why moving to Motherwell was such a good move before the World Cup star was sold to Swansea.

Just netted three goals at the finals, where Paulson was a back-up goalkeeper for New Zealand, and was in demand before the Swans agreed a deal for his services. He is set to land Motherwell more than £5 million after his exploits last campaign for the Steelmen and then for his country on the global stage.

Another parting gift was to persuade Paulsen to move north, with the 24-year-old goalkeeper making his debut in Thursday’s Conference League second qualifying round first leg win over HB Torshavn.

“he had a lot of great things to say about the club,” Paulsen said of Just. "It's a community club as well. Everybody's around here. Everybody's hard working. It was pretty much when Eli said that, it was a no-brainer for me. It's been really, really fantastic as well.

So, he just said that, the coach is trying to implement a new style and it's going to take a bit of time for me to continue to get used to the players as well. But yeah, Eli he had great things to say about the club.

"I've been with Eli with a couple of national team now and a couple of international windows so it was just great to see him perform there on the World Cup and on the wall stage as well. It was just fantastic and I'm really proud of him as well to get that move too Swansea as well.”

Paulsen could have been in the Scottish Premiership last summer, only for a move to Hibs to fall through. "Yeah, there was interest from for Hibs but I think there was a bit of miscommunication as well in that aspect,” he explained. “But again, you know if there was to be or whatnot, I'm kind of just grateful to come back to Scotland here at Motherwell. I think it's more to focus on the fact that they would help me take me in and really integrate me into the team."

Paulsen spent last season on loan at Lechia Gdansk in Poland, where he suffered relegation. “It was definitely character building as well and again it's another great experience for me to go to a Eastern European country as well and to experience what the atmosphere is like over there in Europe,” he explained. "Although I felt like I wasn't the best and I could have performed, it was just a great learning curve for me and to kind of experience some top sides there as well."

Now it’s about securing Motherwell’s European progression next week when they take a two-goal lead to Torshavn against the Faroes. "It's great for us to have that lead heading into the away fixture next week and we know that it's going to be a tough game going over there and playing in the Astroturf as well,” he added. “It's going to be very difficult.

"So we know that we're just leading half time and we've got to finish off the game next week as well with the heads down and continue to work hard as well."