English Championship club Stoke City have signed New Zealand U-23 goalkeeper Scott Morris from Christchurch United.
Morris (22) has signed a contract with Stoke till the end of the 2024-25 season.
The former Wairarapa United and Hawkes Bay United player was in outstanding form in 2023, keeping 12 clean sheets in 20 appearances for Christchurch United, who won the Southern League and the Chatham Cup.
“It has been a long-held ambition to test myself in England, which was something I explored a couple of years ago, and it now feels like the right time and right opportunity to develop my game,” Morris told Stoke City’s website.
“My immediate goal is to adapt to the professional environment, learn from my new teammates and be the best version of myself in training every day.
“It’s a chance I want to grasp with both hands.”
Stoke’s technical director, Ricky Martin, said: “Scott is a promising prospect, and we are looking forward to seeing how he develops with us.
“We hope that being in and around our environment, working with (goalkeeper coach) Darren Behcet alongside a close-knit group of fellow goalkeepers, will help Scott fulfil his long-term potential.”