"We tracked him when he was at Bordeaux and last summer he moved to Espanyol," City boss Stuart Pearce told the club website.
"We saw the opportunity when things hadn’t worked out there to bring him here and he’s on loan until the summer. If things work out well for him here we might well keep him on beyond that.”
The signing will give City a much-needed option on the left, with Kiki Musampa, who is also on loan until the end of the season, still out of favour.
“Albert’s a naturally left-sided player and gives a natural balance on that side,” added Pearce. “It’s another new face in the side and he’s of a good age at 23.
"When you get players on loan you don’t really want to give them a month or two to settle in. Only his ability will dictate that, and how quickly and well he settles in."