Basinas joins Pompey

Portsmouth have strengthened their midfield with the signing of Greek veteran Angelos Basinas from AEK Athens.

The 33-year-old, a member of Greece's victorious Euro 2004 side, has agreed a deal which will keep him at Fratton Park until the end of next season.

Portsmouth executive chairman Peter Storrie believes Tony Adams' struggling team will benefit from the arrival of Basinas. Storrie told www.pompeyfc.co.uk: "We've brought in someone of immense experience, the current captain of Greece who is just three games away from winning his 100th cap for his country."

He added: "He's exactly what we need in the situation that we're in. He's a player that Tony was eager to bring to Pompey.

"He desperately wanted to come here, and we have an option to sign him for a further year on top of the 18 months."

Portsmouth are just one point clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone after a dismal run of results.

Their last Premier League win came on November 30, when Adams' side beat Blackburn 3-2, and their record shows just two points gained from the last eight games.

Basinas, who spent the first 10 years of his career with Panathinaikos, only joined AEK last summer after a spell at Spanish club Real Mallorca.

Portsmouth have allowed key men Lassana Diarra and Jermain Defoe to leave the club during the winter transfer window, but a bid for Sean Davis was recently rejected by the Fratton Park board.

Another Greek player, striker Theofanis Gekas, has joined on loan from Bayer Leverkusen until the end of the season.