Portsmouth weigh loan for Sunderland’s Aji Alese before deadline | OneFootball

Portsmouth are considering a loan move for Sunderland defender Aji Alese before the deadline, according to Sunderland Echo.

John Mousinho’s Championship side have defensive injuries and are seeking reinforcements. Alese, primarily a centre-half but also cover at left-back since joining from West Ham, is viewed as a strong option.

Alese has not featured competitively this season after a major injury suffered in an FA Cup defeat to Stoke City a year ago. He has been back in training and has made two U21 outings in recent weeks. If a deal materialises, he should be ready to compete at Championship level.

Sunderland rate him, but breaking into a crowded defensive unit looks difficult. The club are thought to be open to a loan so he can play regularly and rebuild confidence until the end of the campaign, with the situation to be reassessed in the summer. The 25-year-old has 18 months to run on his contract.

Mousinho said his team are close to at least one addition, with injury issues still being monitored, and hopes to strengthen before the weekend. He described a slow window to date but expects late movement. The window closes at 7pm on Monday, 2 February.

Source: Sunderland Echo