Barnsley midfielder joins Portsmouth on loan

The midfielder was a key player for the Reds in last season's League One promotion and was also a regular under Daniel Stendel and then caretaker manager Adam Murray this term.

However, he has not featured much in Gerhard Struber's plans at Oakwell, playing just 28 minutes under the new boss.

And following the arrival of Marcel Ritzmaier he has been deemed surplus to requirements and has headed to the south coast for the remainder of the campaign.

He will be hoping to win a second successive promotion medal with Pompey just six points off the top two in a tight promotion race.

He said: “I wouldn’t be coming here if I didn’t think we could get promoted and it’s still really tight at the top of the table.

“I’m sure everyone would like us to be a bit higher up, but we’re in a good position to go on a run in the second half of the season.

“I was part of a Barnsley side that did exactly that to win promotion last year and hope that will be replicated here.

“Pompey have been a bit of a sleeping giant for a number of years now and need to get up to at least the Championship – I’m here to help them do that.

“I spoke to Kenny (Jackett) quite a few times and he was keen to get me in, while I want to be playing and this is a massive club.”