Isaac Hayden sends message as Portsmouth deal agreed
Portsmouth announced on Friday the signing of Ebou Adams from Derby County.
The 30-year-old defensive midfielder has joined Pompey for a deal reported to be around £500,000.
Adams had been a regular at the Rams since his original loan spell at Pride Park in the 2023-24 campaign, where he helped to oversee their promotion into the Championship.
Now, upon announcing the new deal, plenty of players have reacted to the news, including former Portsmouth loanee Isaac Hayden.
👊 “I’ll bring a voice, energy and enthusiasm – on that pitch, I’ll be non-stop.”
— Portsmouth FC (@Pompey) January 16, 2026
🗣️ @Ebouadams‘ first #Pompey interview is out now!
Isaac Hayden reacts as Portsmouth announce Ebou Adams
Hayden had been on loan to Portsmouth in the second half of last season.
Previously, Hayden had fallen out of favour at Newcastle and was eventually released by the Magpies once his loan at Fratton Park expired.
Since then, the midfielder has gone on to join QPR, but it is clear that he still holds plenty of affection for his former club.
As a result, when Portsmouth announced the signing of Adams via their Instagram on 16 January, the former Pompey man was quick to react to the news.
The Jamaica international simply liked the post as Portsmouth look to pull away from the relegation zone.
Can Adams be a success at Portsmouth?
With relegation back to League One being a real possibility for Portsmouth this season, John Mousinho will be hoping that Adams can have a big impact in the second half of the campaign.
According to Fotmob on 17 January, so far this season, the midfielder has some excellent defensive stats.
Per match, he is averaging 3.59 tackles, 7.37 duels won, 1.50 interceptions and 6.05 recoveries.
However, his impressive defensive work is counterbalanced by a lack of attacking output, with the 30-year-old barely making a mark in the final third.
| Ebou Adams’ Championship stats this season | Per 90 minutes |
| Tackles | 3.59 |
| Duels won | 7.37 |
| Interceptions | 1.50 |
| Recoveries | 6.05 |
| Shots | 0.54 |
| Chances created | 0.18 |
Nevertheless, the experience of Adams will no doubt help Pompey massively, having previously played for Cardiff City before his move to the Rams in 2024.
The midfielder helped guide Derby County to safety last season, something Mousinho would have been aware of when scouting Adams.
Hopefully, the midfielder can now hit the ground running and quickly settle into life at Fratton Park ahead of a busy second half of the campaign.