Portsmouth: Swansea City's Daniel Alfei signs on loan

Portsmouth have signed Swansea and Wales Under-21 international defender Daniel Alfei on a one-month loan deal.

The 21-year-old has not played under Swans boss Michael Laudrup, but was given his debut in 2011 by previous manager Brendan Rodgers.

Alfei spent time on loan at Wrexham last season, and will become Pompey manager Richie Barker's first signing.

"We certainly need to [sign players] in terms of numbers," Barker said after New Year's Day's 2-1 loss at Southend.

"We are scrambling around the development squad. With all due respect to the boys, numbers is an issue."

Sonny Bradley gave the visitors the lead at Southend, but the Shimpers hit back through a Ryan Leonard brace, which included an injury-time strike.

Pompey spent 14 months in administration, before the Pompey Supporters' Trust (PST) took control in April 2013.

Former Crawley boss Barker was appointed as manager last month following Guy Whittingham's sacking, and is looking to add to the signing of Alfei, who goes straight into the squad for Saturday's match against Accrington Stanley at Fratton Park.

"We need players everywhere, on all areas of the pitch, to give us some help," he said. "We are having to put square pegs in round holes at the moment.

"It doesn't help with the timing. Everything is so close at the moment and we have to recover from a game and prepare for the next one."