Courtesy of P.F.C
Pompey have signed Hayden Mullins and Portuguese midfielder Pele.
Midfielder Mullins, who has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal, joins Pompey from West Ham for an undisclosed fee.
Pele has signed on loan from Porto until the end of the season.
The 21-year-old – whose full name is Vitor Hugo Gomes Passos – has joined the Blues with a view to a permanent deal.
Both are eligible to make their debuts in Tuesday night’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Fratton Park.
Mullins will wear the No 6 shirt. Pele will wear No 26.
Pompey executive chairman Peter Storrie said: “Hayden and Pele
will add strength to our midfield. Central midfield was an area we
needed to strengthen – that’s why we’ve brought in two players.
“Both players have been on our radar for a while. But we wanted
them here in time to beat Monday’s midday deadline to play against
Aston Villa. I brought all my staff into the club on a Sunday night to
get the deal done.
“Tony and I decided to move for Hayden on Saturday night. We got
hold of West Ham on Sunday morning and I think they were a bit
surprised that we wanted to get the deal done so quickly.
“Hayden’s an experienced player who has played exceptionally well against us in the past.
“He’s a guy with immense experience in the Premier League, and that’s what we need in this situation.
“He wanted regular football because he has been in and out of
the West Ham side. We’ve been very successful getting players in who
have wanted regular football and then blossomed for us when they have
been given it.
“Pele’s an exciting young talent. He did well for Inter before joining Porto.
“But there was a change of manager at Porto who switched it around a bit and the boy was desperate to move.
“I spoke to him on Saturday evening and he was on the plane here within 24 hours, which tells you exactly about his eagerness.
“He’s an expensive player, so it’s a deal with an option to buy
so we can both have a look at each other. It’s very similar to what we
did with Nadir Belhadj.
“We hope he’ll do very, very well. He’s a strong lad who’s very athletic and gets around the pitch.”
Mullins made 213 appearances for the Hammers after arriving from Crystal Palace in 2003.
He came through the youth ranks at Selhurst Park, scoring 20 goals in 256 appearances.
Mullins has been a regular in Gianfranco Zola’s side this
season, and came on as a substitute in Saturday’s FA Cup victory at
Hartlepool.
Pele joined the Portuguese champions from Inter Milan last summer.
He was part of the Inter side that won the Italian league title
last season, making his Serie A debut against Sampdoria in September
2007.
Pele also bagged a stunning strike in the Italian Cup final, as Inter lost 2-1 to Roma.
He has represented Portugal at both under-20 and under-21 level.
The pair will fortify a Blues midfield depleted by injury, with
Papa Bouba Diop (knee), Richard Hughes (hamstring) and Niko Kranjcar
(groin) all sidelined.
Storrie revealed Pompey’s transfer-window activity was not over.
He said: “We’re looking to bring in a striker before the window shuts, and maybe another midfielder.”
