Portsmouth have signed defender Aji Alese on loan from Premier League side Sunderland. The 25-year-old joins Pompey for the rest of the season having only played twice this campaign in Premier League 2 after recovering from a broken leg. London-born Alese, an England Under-20 international, signed for Sunderland in 2022 from West Ham United, having come up through the Hammers' academy. "He's a strong defender who is also comfortable on the ball and has experience of playing Championship football," Portsmouth manager John Mousinho told the club website. "Aji has been incredibly patient and worked diligently to prepare himself for this next opportunity," Sunderland's sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said.

Source: BBC January 29, 2026 22:18 UTC