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Baggies set to sign Olssen

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West Brom have agreed a fee with NEC Nijmemen for Swedish defender Jonas Olssen.

It has been announced on the club site that West Brom have reached an agreement with the Dutch Eridivisie side for the £800,000 signing of the 6ft4in centre-back. The 25 year old player, capped 19 times, has agreed personal terms and providing he passes a medical will become the 6th brand new recruit of the summer.

With the first choice defensive pairing of Barnett and Meite a complete shambles in the midweek Cup defeat, Albion have acted quickly to secure more competition for the place, with the injured Neil Clement the only recognised defensive alternative at the club. Olssen has a reputation as a physically commanding defender, who can play in the middle or at left-back. He has previously been linked with Newcastle, Everton, Middlesbrough and tomorrows league opponents, Bolton Wanderers.

He began his career in the Swedish league, where he picked up numerous booking, but since transferring to the Netherlands in 2005 has refined his game and become a more cultured defender, scoring 5 goals in 93 appearances for the Dutch club. He has never earned a senior cap but is not far away from the international scene, having been observed several times by the assistant coach of the Swedish team, Roland Andersson.

A very promising import this; needed competition for the defenders already in the squad and with his height he is sure to be an aerial presence not only at the back but also going forward. Olssen is a player who slots more into the ‘soldier` mould than that of the ‘artist` that Mowbray has outlined in his previous transfer dealings, which is just as well as there are currently enough artists in the Baggies side to create a Disney film.

Welcome to Sandwell, Jonas.

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