One more ‘Kiwi’ to the ‘Prem’: Paulsen seals dream move to England

AFC Bournemouth has secured the addition of the 21-year-old goalkeeper Alex Paulsen from Australian A-League side Wellington Phoenix. The Auckland-born talent has been capped by New Zealand at both under-17 and under-23 levels and is anticipated to represent his country at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.

Paulsen has made a significant mark in the A-League, especially during Phoenix’s record-breaking 2023/24 season, where he earned a place in the A-League All-Stars men’s team. He expressed his excitement and gratitude upon joining Bournemouth, stating, “I’m humbled to be considered worthy of signing with AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. It means the world to me, my family, and my friends to be offered an opportunity to play in the best league on the planet, which most aspiring young footballers only dream of“, mentioned in Bournemouth club’s website media release.

Bournemouth’s Chief Executive Neill Blake commented, “We’re very pleased to secure Alex’s services. He’s an exciting prospect with so much potential, and his development has been clear for all to see during an excellent season in the A-League. We look forward to welcoming Alex to Bournemouth in early July, where we plan to introduce him to Andoni and the rest of the team before he departs for what will be a great opportunity to represent his country at the Olympics.”

Paulsen’s impressive record includes 12 clean sheets in 28 games for Wellington Phoenix, playing a crucial role in their qualification for the A-League end-of-season play-offs. His outstanding performances have also been pivotal in New Zealand’s successful Olympic qualifiers against Vanuatu and Fiji.

A product of the Phoenix academy, Paulsen first gained attention with his performances in New Zealand’s campaign at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Brazil in 2019. His breakthrough moment came in January 2022 when he saved three penalties in a shootout against Melbourne City, securing Phoenix’s place in the Australia Cup semi-finals for the first time.

During the 2023/24 season, Paulsen emerged as one of the top shot-stoppers in the A-League, earning multiple awards at the Wellington Phoenix awards ceremony, including men’s players’ player of the year, members’ player of the year, and members’ under-23 player of the year.

With his signing, Paulsen follows in the footsteps of Chris Wood, becoming the second New Zealand player currently active in the English Premier League. While it remains uncertain whether he will stay with Bournemouth for the upcoming season or be loaned out for further experience, his potential and promising career trajectory are clear.

Paulsen issued a good-bye letter to Wellington Phoenix fans stating his gratitude to all support he has had from all people involved in the club, since his academy days. Also thanked his family support and the Yellow Fever, the crazy fan-base of Nix supporters.