Portsmouth sign Mullins and Pele

Portsmouth manager Tony Adams has bolstered his midfield options with the double signing of Hayden Mullins from West Ham and Pele from Porto.

Mullins, 29, has agreed a three-and-half-year deal at Fratton Park and moves to Pompey for an undisclosed fee.

Portuguese attacking midfielder Pele, 21, joins on loan for the rest of the season with a view to a permanent move.

"Hayden and Pele have been on our radar for some time," said Portsmouth executive chairman Peter Storrie.

"They will add strength to our midfield. Central midfield is an area we have needed to strengthen - that's why we brought in two players."

Both players have been signed in time to play Aston Villa on Tuesday and they will add some much needed cover in Portsmouth's midfield.

Papa Bouba Diop, Richard Hughes and Niko Kranjcar are all out injured, while Lassana Diarra departed for Real Madrid earlier this month.

The signings continue a busy transfer window for Adams, who has already brought in Jermaine Pennant on loan from Liverpool, while Jermain Defoe left to rejoin Tottenham.

Mullins has spent the last five years at West Ham after joining from Crystal Palace and he has made 21 appearances for the Hammers this season.

"It was in a little bit of a shock," he told Portsmouth's website. "I trained on Sunday with West Ham and then it all happened very quickly, but I'm very pleased to have joined.

"It was a great experience to have worked under Gianfranco Zola but it's a great challenge here to come and work with some really talented players.

"I enjoyed my time at West Ham but I was there for five years and thought that maybe it was time for a change.

"Portsmouth are a club with a lot of history. They won the FA Cup last year, so I'm very excited to be here."

Portugal under-21 international Pele, whose full name is Vitor Hugo Gomes Passos, is an attacking midfielder and has previously played for Inter Milan.

"It's always been an ambition of mine to play in England, to play in the Premier League," he said. "I've always watched English football, and the crowds are always great here.

"England is the home of football, so it's fantastic to get this opportunity."