QUEENS PARK RANGERS SIGN MOTHERWELL GOALKEEPER CALUM WARD

Queens Park Rangers have signed goalkeeper Calum Ward from Scottish Premiership club Motherwell for an undisclosed fee. Ward, 25 and born in Essex, moves to Loftus Road after a season in which he established two club records at Motherwell. He kept 20 clean sheets during the campaign, including a run of nine consecutive matches without conceding a goal.

Motherwell finished fourth in the Scottish Premiership last season, their highest league position in six years. Ward attributed the team's success to strong momentum built after an initial slow start to the campaign. Chief executive Christian Nourry stated that Ward was "the outstanding shot-stopper in the Scottish Premiership last season" and praised his bravery in defensive set-pieces, as well as his ability to play the ball out from the back.

QPR have not disclosed the length of Ward's contract with the club. The signing represents the goalkeeper's first move away from Scottish football. Ward described his previous season as one in which the team achieved results "you couldn't really believe".