ANDONI Iraola says Cherries always planned to send Alex Paulsen straight out on loan this season.

The highly-rated goalkeeper joined Cherries from Wellington Phoenix this summer, but has returned back to the A-League with Auckland FC.

That move is subject to official approval, with such deals previously not permitted. Bill Foley owns both Cherries and Auckland, with the Australian league not allowing players to move to clubs in their league on loan from another club of the same owner.

There are proposals for those rules to change this season, but Paulsen’s former club Wellington are unhappy with the arrangement.

Discussing Paulsen’s Auckland loan switch, Cherries head coach Iraola said: “It was the plan.

“A little bit similar to Jebbo (Daniel Jebbison). I think they are very young players that can be part of our future, but for them right now, probably the best thing is to get minutes every week.

“After the Olympics, it was the option for him what we were thinking from the beginning.”

Paulsen did briefly train with Cherries, prior to competing with New Zealand in the Olympics.

Asked for his first impressions of the 22-year-old, Lewis Cook said: “Really nice. First of all, he’s a top, top person.

“And he looks like a good player as well. He’s settled in really well.

“You can tell by the first day he came in what kind of person he was and there was going to be no trouble with him settling in, so glad to have him on board.”