Alfred Johansson has laid out his vision for Motherwell, promising to unearth the next Elijah Just while balancing a two-point transfer strategy that combines buying to sell with developing homegrown talent.
Johansson's Transfer Philosophy
The new manager, replacing Jens Berthel Askou who led the club to a fourth-placed finish last season, faces the immediate challenge of resolving the future of in-demand star Elijah Just. Johansson made clear that buying and selling for profit is integral to modern football.
"Absolutely. It's a part of every football club. Every football club in 2026 is asked to do that. So even the biggest clubs in Europe, they are buying young talent to develop them even to their level. So it's a part of every well-run football club, I would say," Johansson stated.
He praised the work of head of recruitment Nick Daws, adding: "Motherwell has a record, especially I want to praise again Nick for how the squad's been developing the last couple of years. There's been a lot of good players getting sold from here, key players getting sold from Motherwell in the past. The recruitment, the scouting has been strong."
Academy Focus
Johansson, who previously managed Rosenborg, emphasized the importance of developing talent from within. Motherwell's academy has produced stars like Lennon Miller, Max Johnston, and David Turnbull in recent years.
"I love the energy of youth. I love the energy of what they bring to the training pitch, what they bring to the style of play," he said. "My upbringing as a coach is as an academy coach. It's coming mainly from FC Copenhagen, where I would say in Denmark it's renowned for its good quality of youth players going through the ranks, breaking into the first team, and then some of them also going abroad to bigger addresses than Copenhagen."
Balancing Experience and Youth
Johansson stressed that while youth development is key, experienced players remain vital. "It doesn't mean that we're only going to play with young players at all. The experience and the quality of that experience from some of the players that have been 23, 24, 25, or even older than that is key as well, to not shake your hands too much when the wind is blowing."
Motherwell face HB Torshavn in a Conference League double-header starting on July 23 at Fir Park, marking their return to European football.
