He has racked up a decent 106 professional appearances spread across the Derby first team and loan spells at Swindon, Bradford and most recently Walsall where he scored a respectable four goals in 19 appearances.
A winger by trade, he is not the biggest or quickest, but has decent ability on the ball and delivery from set pieces and is likely to be a direct replacement for Rudi Skacel who is almost certain to remain in Germany after a successful loan spell. Let's just hope it's not for Drew Surman as well.
Indeed with his background and position on the left of midfield there are many parallels with massive fan favourite and local boy Drew Surman, a record breaker as the youngest to play in the reserves and a boy with magic at his feet still getting used to the physical side of the game.
Saints will be hoping that with an emphasis on youngsters and the new coaches' desire to play with wingers that his career can finally take off and fulfil the promise he showed so young.
Chris Perry of course played a big part in last season's great escape giving his all for the cause and forming a vital partnership with Chris Lucketti. Lucketti was the more impressive performer, but with finances tight and Lucketti still having a year on his contract, Perry may well have represented the cheaper option.
He will add vital experience to a squad certain to be shorn of many experienced players with costs looking to be cut right back and youngsters asked to step up in the hope they can cope with the highly physical nature of the Championship.
Unfortunately, it's been another week of silence from the club who have refused to comment on the club's website either to release the retained list or the embarrassing saga of revealing a manager to the press that had only signed a pre-contract with compensation yet to be settled.
With Perry brought in by Pearson originally and Poortliet yet to start at the club and unlikely to have much knowledge of either player signed today it does beg the question of exactly who is in charge of transfer policy at the club, hardly a sign that the new management duo will have total control of matters on the pitch.
Fans are understandly now nervously awaiting the mass exodus of senior players to see just how much will be expected of the youngsters. For today though let's welcome the new boys to the club and hope they have a great season.