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Defender Dylan Williams has joined the club on a two-year deal from Burton Albion, with the club holding the option of a further year.

The 22-year-old makes the move for an undisclosed fee.

“I want to welcome Dylan to the club,” Alfred Johansson said.

“A humble young man, Dylan has been in first-team environments since he broke into the Derby County team at a young age. He is an incredibly mature man, and we’ve had some excellent discussions about what we want Dylan to do in our system.

“He is an attack-minded and exciting defender, but most importantly, he works incredibly hard for his teammates. It’s great to get Dylan into the club as we look ahead to the competitive football starting very soon.”

Williams came through the Academy system at Wolverhampton Wanderers before moving to Derby County in 2019, where his development and progress continued. He made his first professional appearance in the FA Cup for Derby County, playing in a 2-0 defeat to Chorley at the start of 2021, aged just 17.

He went on to play eight Championship matches later that year under the stewardship of Wayne Rooney, catching the eye of some of the biggest clubs in the country. Chelsea came in for Williams, and once the deal was completed, he moved to Stamford Bridge at the start of 2022.

Williams made the bench for the Chelsea first-team in March of 2022 in an FA Cup tie against Luton Town. His development continued with manager Thomas Tuchel including Williams regularly in first-team training sessions.

A regular for Chelsea’s Under 23 and Under 21 sides, Williams was loaned out to Burton Albion in June 2024 to work under former Chelsea Youth coach Mark Robinson.

Williams was a regular for his new club in the early parts of the season and assisted in three EFL Trophy matches as well as scoring one goal. Gary Bowyer became the new Burton Albion manager in October 2024, with Williams seeing his gametime reduced. He continued to work hard and worked his way back into the starting 11 for the final stage of the season. He made a huge impact by scoring a stoppage-time winner against Cambridge United, which kept Burton Albion in the division.

A permanent Burton Albion player in his second season, Williams featured another 31 times for the club, taking his appearance count above 60 before moving to Scotland to start his next chapter.

Williams is eligible for selection for our UEFA Conference League match against Havnar Bóltfelag.

“I’ve spoken to a number of people about Motherwell,” Dylan Williams added.

“Everyone has had positive things to say about the club. The initial discussions with the manager were encouraging, and he’s been so clear on what he wants me to do. Key messaging and a clear desire to bring me to the club meant it was an easy decision to come here.

“I’m looking forward to the season ahead.”

The draw for the UEFA Conference League Third Qualifying Round was made this afternoon, with the winners of the tie between Motherwell and Havnar Bóltfelag discovering their potential opponents in the next round.

Either Motherwell or Havnar Bóltfelag will take on either HJK Helsinki (FIN) or Coleraine FC (NIR) in the Third Qualifying Round. The games in the third qualifying round are due to take place on Thursday 6 August and Thursday 13 August.

All match information will be confirmed by UEFA in due course.

We can confirm that midfielder Elliot Watt has completed a permanent transfer to Turkish side Samsunspor.

The midfielder, who joined the club 13 months ago, moves for an undisclosed fee.

Watt joined the club from Burton Albion and went on to have a successful season at Fir Park. Playing 42 games across the season, the centre midfielder was an integral part of the squad that finished fourth in the William Hill Premiership and that reached the semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup.

The former St Johnstone earned personal recognition too, winning an SPFL Player of the Month award, as well as being named in the PFA Team of the Season.

“I would like to take this chance to thank everyone connected to the club for the last 12 months,” Watt said.

“12 months that have changed my career and life. The support and positivity I felt from the first minute arrived gave me the confidence to learn, improve and perform.

“I hope I was able to put a smile on the fans’ faces. My family and I will be forever grateful and will always be watching; we will hopefully be back soon. I don’t think I will be able to keep my boys away from Fir Park for too long. I wish the club every success going forward, especially this season in Europe.

“Mon the well.”

Now moving on to his next chapter, we wish Elliot and his family the very best for the future and thank him sincerely for his efforts.

The manager gives his views as pre-season ends with a 3-4 defeat to Genk.

Motherwell and Belgian giants K.R.C. Genk played out a thrilling friendly match as the Steelmen closed out their pre-season schedule with a 4-3 defeat.

Elijah Just opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Aaron Bibout equalised with a stunning strike from distance. Daan Heymans gave the visitors the advantage on the stroke of half time, with Bibout grabbing his second of the evening just minutes into the second-half.

The Steelmen kept fighting, and Mikey Booth pulled one back with 15 minutes to go, but Genk restored their two-goal advantage a couple of minutes later. A team full of academy players fought valiantly until the final whistle, with Robbie Hunter smashing home with six minutes remaining.

Fir Park supporters were able to see some new faces in the form of Alex Paulsen, Martin Moormann and Willy Vogt, who all signed during the summer window, but they were also treated to seeing some more familiar names, including Just, who played his first Motherwell minutes since his three goals at the 2026 World Cup.

And although a friendly match by title, the 90 minutes were full of intensity, with Ayumu Yokoyama cutting inside from the left flank and just missing the far post with his effort after just five minutes.

The game settled down with Motherwell trying to implement their new system under Alfred Johansson. Paulsen produced a wonderful save after 16 minutes to deny August De Wannemacker, who tried to curl one in under the bar.

The home side was competing well against the Belgian side and, with 27 minutes on the clock, showed their quality. Luca Ross did well to keep the ball in play from a long ball. Regan Charles-Cook pressed the Genk full-back and showed his strength to outmuscle the defender. The Grenadian drove into the box and was brought down, with the referee pointing to the spot.

Just, who shone on the world stage last month, took aim from 12 yards and found the bottom corner to open the scoring.

Summer signing Vogt was brought off after 30 minutes as part of a planned alteration, as the new forward gradually builds up his fitness. Ewan Wilson was the replacement.

Motherwell’s lead would only last five minutes, with Bibout taking aim from 30 yards; the Genk man produced a stunning volley to loop the ball over Paulsen and into the net.

Johansson’s side kept working hard and were close to restoring their lead after 37 minutes. A well-worked corner routine made its way back out to Lukas Fadinger; the Austrian delivered a powerful low cross into the area that Genk defender Josue Kongolo diverted towards his own goal, but to his relief, Tobias Lawal was able to push the ball wide for a corner.

Just lined one up from outside the area minutes later, but the New Zealand star couldn’t keep the effort on target. Daan Heymans would convert Yokoyama’s cross on the volley with virtually the last kick of the first-half, as the Steelmen, arguably unfortunately, found themselves behind at the break.

Mikey Booth was introduced to the action at the half time break, including Aaron Thomson in defence, with Martin Moormann and Elijah Just making way.

Just three minutes into the second period, however, Genk moved two goals ahead with Bibout finding the back of the net for a second time. A ball in behind was chased down by Yokoyama, who played in the forward who could finish from inside the penalty box.

Despite the setback, Motherwell showed promise in the final third. Charles-Cook forced Lawal into a very good stop after he latched onto a cross from the right-hand side, with the forward then trying his luck with an overhead kick just a minute later.

Paulsen remained sharp between the Motherwell sticks as he diverted Nikolas Sattleberger’s volley wide with the slightest of touches after the hour mark.

Motherwell pulled one back with 15 minutes to go. Tom Sparrow, who had the armband for the evening, had advanced forward up the right flank and found Booth unmarked in the box, and the young midfielder guided his header into the far corner to make it 3-2.

At this point, Johansson made a number of changes, with just Oscar Priestman and Charles-Cook, now captain, the only non-Motherwell FC Academy players.

The young team could only watch Brad Manguelle guide his header to the opposite side of Matty Connelly in the 78th minute, as the Steelmen conceded their fourth of the evening.

But despite a youthful side, they showed their energy and bravery as they applied serious pressure on Genk. That bravery was rewarded in the 84th minute when Hunter made an inch-perfect run to get in behind the backline before smashing into the top corner to reduce the deficit just to one.

Over 3000 Motherwell fans attended the final pre-season outing and will go away full of optimism with Motherwell kicking off their competitive season with the UEFA Conference League tie against Havnar Bóltfelag next week.

Motherwell Team: Paulsen, Sparrow, Whyte, Moormann, Ross, Vogt, Priestman, Fadinger, Said, Charles-Cook, Just.

Motherwell Subs: Connelly, Bjørgolfsson, Wilson, Booth, Buchanan, Dalziel, Hunter, Thomson, Weir, Ngandu.

Aston Oxborough has joined William Hill Championship side Dunfermline Athletic on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee. 

The 28-year-old joined the Pars last season on loan, where he made 15 appearances.

Oxborough joined Motherwell in 2022, and having remained patient in his first two seasons, he became the first-choice keeper at the club for the 24/25 season. He made 32 appearances in total for the club.

We want to thank Aston for his efforts during his time at Fir Park and wish him well for the future.

The club are extremely disappointed at the outcome of today’s hearing in relation to the Scottish FA’s notice of complaint received by the club.

The notice of complaint related to a social media post and related video that was published following our last home game of the 2025/26 season.

The club have requested the written reasons in relation to the decision, and thereafter we will liaise with our external solicitors on any next steps.

Jake Girdwood-Reich is our fourth summer signing. 

The centre-back joins the club from MLS side St Louis City for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal, subject to international clearance.

“Jake has a perfect blend of experience and young, raw talent,” Alfred Johansson stated.

“At 22, he is young, enthusiastic and energetic. With lots of development still possible, he has enough experience to slot in comfortably in this environment. Defensively, he is a strong and intelligent player whose traits match our style.

“With four summer signings already in the door, our squad is coming along nicely ahead of a hectic start to the competitive season. We’re working hard behind the scenes here, on the pitch and off it.”

Born in Australia, Girdwood-Reich played junior football in Sydney but also had a short stint with St Johnstone in his early years. He signed with Sydney FC at the age of 12.

Coming through the system with Sydney, Girdwood-Reich reached the Sydney FC II side in 2020, where his development continued for two years before officially being moved up to their first-team. He made his debut in 2022 in the Australian Cup before making his A-League debut a couple of months later. He played 19 games that season for the first-team, including every minute of their Australian Cup campaign, which concluded with Sydney and Girdwood-Reich lifting the trophy.

He picked up the Sydney FC Rising Star Award at the 2022 Sky Blue Awards night for his promising start in a Sydney FC jersey. By the start of the 2023 season in Australia, Girdwood-Reich was a starter for Sydney and started 23 matches, scoring his first goal for the club in February.

His performances earned him not only a spot in the PFA Players’ A-League Team of the Season but also a move to MLS side St Louis City in the summer of 2024, moving for an undisclosed fee, with reports suggesting the move broke the transfer record for Sydney FC.

With St Louis already midway through their MLS campaign when Girdwood-Reich arrived in July, he featured ten times in MLS in 2024, earning his first start against Los Angeles FC in October.

With the MLS campaign kicking off in early 2025, Girdwood-Reich’s appearance count for St Louis rose to 23 before he joined Auckland FC on loan in September 2025. The A-League season kicked off the following month, with the defender featuring in all but one match for his side. Girdwood-Reich caught the headlines in a 5-0 win when his strike from over 80 yards out against Wellington Phoenix found the back of the net.

Auckland went on to win the A-League Men’s Championship with a 1-0 win over his former side, Sydney FC. Fresh off the back of a successful season in the A-League, the 22-year-old joins the club ahead of our Conference League match against Havnar Bóltfelag.

“It feels so good to be here,” Jake Girdwood-Reich added.

“Talks have been ongoing, and I’ve been keen to get things finalised so I could get to work. The manager was impressive in the way he explained how he wanted the team to play, and that is something that is important to me. I know what he expects from me, and I know what I can expect from him.

“I’ve met the players, and everyone has been welcoming and open to me coming in, so that’s another part that has been easy. I know a couple of the boys and have played against a few too, so settling in won’t be an issue. It’s an exciting few weeks, and I’m glad I can be a part of the journey here at Motherwell.”

It’s time for Motherwell supporters to come back home for the first time this season when the Steelmen face off against K.R.C Genk in a friendly match on Friday 17 July. 

Kick off is 7pm.

How to Follow the Game

Season ticket holders have until Wednesday 15^th July 5pm to buy their ticket at the discounted price.

For this game, all tickets will be Ticketfast (digital) or collection at the Ticket Office only. The game will not be downloaded onto your season card.

Ticket Prices:

You can buy your tickets online now by CLICKING HERE.

The Ticket Office is open from 9am – the ticket office is open until kick-off with no pay gate facility.

The match will be shown live via our pay-per-view streaming service.

The price is advertised at €8. This works out at £6.90 currently, using the exchange rate our streaming provider has.

You are able to watch the match online.

Food & Drink

Mrs Baillie’s Fanzone is open for the first time this season. Home and away fans can attend from 5pm.

The Cooper Bar will be open from 5pm for home and away fans. It will also be open for one hour post-match for those looking to avoid the traffic. Food and drink will be available.

Another option is the Centenary Suite, which will be open from 5pm and will operate as a bar. You can also access the Suite for one hour post-match.

All kiosks will be open in the home stands. Card and cash are accepted.

Weather Forecast

It will be a warm evening in ML1, with temperatures expected to be above 20 degrees by kick off. There will be a gentle breeze with minimal cloud coverage.

Motherwell’s Fortunes

Alfred Johansson’s side have been working hard during pre-season and most recently faced off against Carlisle United in a behind-closed-doors friendly match. Ewan Wilson and Ibrahim Said both got on the scoresheet as the visitors won 3-2 at Fir Park.

This fixture will mark the next step up in preparations ahead of the UEFA Conference League match against Havnar Bóltfelag next week. New signings Willy Vogt and Martin Moorman will be looking to get minutes under their belt ahead of their first season in Scotland, with Alex Paulsen also available between the sticks.

Despite experiencing his first match at Fir Park last weekend behind closed doors, this game marks Johansson’s first opportunity to meet the home crowd.

Opposition Report

Belgian Pro-League side Genk arrive in Scotland to continue their pre-season schedule with matches against Motherwell and Falkirk. Genk are currently searching for their next permanent manager, with Nicky Hayen moving to the English Championship with Burnley.

Genk have produced some world-class superstars in recent years, including the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Divock Origi, Thibaut Courtois, Yannick Carrasco and Leandro Trossard, but in the present day, the likes of Konstantinos Karetsas, Matte Smets and Noah Adedeji-Sternberg are amongst the next future stars the Belgian side have within their ranks.

With some of the biggest clubs in the world tracking a number of Genk’s players, the club will be looking to qualify for European competition this season, having missed out last year. The Belgians faced off against Rangers in the Europa League last September at Ibrox, with former Celtic striker Oh scoring the only goal of the match. Genk’s European journey saw them reach the knockouts of the Europa League, where they defeated Dinamo Zagreb before eventual finalists Freiburg knocked the Belgians out.

Their league campaign ended with a penalty shootout defeat against Gent in the European playoff final, which saw them miss out on Conference League football.

Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen has joined the club on a season-long loan deal from Premier League side Bournemouth.

The 24-year-old New Zealand international is Alfred Johansson’s third summer signing.

“Alex has already shown domestically and internationally that he is an impressive goalkeeper with an exciting career ahead of him,” Alfred Johansson said.

“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 [Ward] moving on, it was obvious that we needed to recruit in this position. We see Alex as a very similar type of goalkeeper in terms of his strengths. Matty [Connelly] did very well in our friendly match in Denmark and against Carlisle, and bringing Alex in will increase competition in this area.”

Paulsen, who was an outfielder in his early years, came through the systems at Eastern Suburbs AFC and Onehunga Sports before moving to Wellington Phoneix in 2018. Here, he began to work through the age groups towards first-team football. In 2021, he made his A-League debut for Phoenix against Sydney FC. As he remained the second-choice keeper, his big chance would come in the 2023/24 season.

He grabbed his chance with both hands and went on to play 29 times for Phoenix, playing every minute of the season as his side finished second in the league. His performances have seen him pick up a number of accolades, including Wellington Phoenix Members’ Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year, Under-23 Player of the Year and A-League Men Goalkeeper of the Year, and he shared the Young Footballer of the Year award with Nestory Irankunda.

That breakout season caught the eye of Premier League side Bournemouth, who brought the shot-stopper to England for a seven-figure fee in the summer of 2024. Although he received his first international call-up for New Zealand back in 2022, that summer would be a special one as Paulsen also earned his first cap for his country against Solomon Islands.

A loan spell with Auckland FC came next to ensure development and playing minutes increased, and there, Paulsen enjoyed more success. He helped set a new Australian football record by going 532 minutes before conceding his first goal. That success continued with Auckland winning the A-League Premiership in their debut season and Paulsen not missing a single minute of action as he was named the A-League Goalkeeper of the Year once again.

Bournemouth looked to allow Paulsen’s development to continue with a loan move to Polish Ekstraklasa side Lechia Gdańsk, where, once again, Paulsen was the first-choice keeper. He played all but four matches in the 25/26 season for Gdańsk.

Paulsen’s international journey has been on an upward trajectory also. Having represented his country at the Olympics in 2024, he is now on eight caps for his country, five of which have come since last October. He was named in the 2026 World Cup squad.

“I’ve got a great feeling coming in here,” Alex Paulsen stated.

“Obviously, I’ve been able to speak to Elijah [Just] 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.”