EXCLUSIVE! Lauren has expressed sympathy with the Portsmouth stars who demanded more January transfer activity.

Club captain Sol Campbell, David James and Sylvain Distin all expressed concerns over the club's lack of signings, particularly with several first-team regulars away at the African Nations Cup.

Pompey chairman Peter Storrie publicly criticised their remarks and they have now signed midfielder Lassana Diarra from Arsenal.

Lauren said he understood the senior players' concerns, particularly as Portsmouth knew they would be without their African stars for up to four weeks.

"The thing is, key players like Kanu, John Utaka and Sulley Muntari have been fantastic all season and the club knew that they would lose them for the African Cup of Nations," he told eurosport.yahoo.co.uk.

"So that's why they [Campbell, James, Distin] said that. We've got a big squad and good players, but maybe we need one or two more signings."

The 31-year-old said he was very impressed with Diarra, who made his debut against Derby on Saturday.

"He's very good. I saw him in training, he's very ambitious he wants to show what he can do and who he is, he has real character. He hardly trained with us - just on Friday. But I saw on Saturday when he came out to play he was hungry. He has a lot of ambition," Lauren said.

He believes this hunger to play on a weekly basis was what prompted him to leave the Emirates Stadium just five months after arriving from Chelsea.

"I don't know. You've got a lot of players there. Gilberto [Silva], even if he's not playing, [Cesc] Fabregas, [Mathieu] Flamini in central midfield. So it's difficult, but I tell you this guy is a very good player."

Lauren has had a frustrating season with several injuries disrupting his progress, He backed manager Harry Redknapp's decision not to give him more games, but promised to return to top form.

"As a professional you always want to play games, but realistically I haven't been at 100 percent since the start of the season so I think the decision the boss has made has been right," he said.

"I know that when I get to 100 percent I will play some more games. I played last week and I hope to find my level for the rest of the season.

"I feel comfortable here. As I said I haven't been at my level for a year, in and out of the team. I want to stay. I've got one more year to go [on my contract] so I will stay."

Alex Chick / Eurosport