Jonas Olsson

Premier League Career: West Bromwich Albion (2008-2017)

Having appeared 245 times for West Bromwich Albion, Jonas Olsson returned home to Sweden in 2017 to conclude his career with Djurgardens IF. It is a career that has seen Olsson experience the pain of relegation in his first Premier League season to becoming a stable figure as the Albion became a regular figure in the Premier League fixture schedules. He also won 25 caps for Sweden and was part of their squad at the 2012 European Championships.

Olsson made his debut in professional football in 2003. Growing up, he followed the career closely of his future international colleague and fellow defender, Olof Mellberg. Mellberg would become a popular figure at Aston Villa – a long-time Midlands rival of West Brom. Olsson developed his reputation as a tough-tackling defender during three seasons in the Dutch league with NEC Nijmegen.

Several Premier League clubs had been scouting Olsson and he was linked with moves to Bolton Wanderers, Everton and Newcastle United. However, it was West Brom who got his signature on a contract in August 2008, paying a mere £800,000 for his services. He made his debut in a 3-2 home win over West Ham United a month later and soon afterwards, had his first Baggies’ goal with a typical header from a set-piece enough to beat Middlesbrough at The Riverside Stadium. He added another goal in a home win over Sunderland towards the end of the campaign and played well individually throughout the season. However, West Brom were always fighting a losing relegation battle under their manager, Tony Mowbray and their demise to the Championship was confirmed by a defeat at home to Liverpool FC on the penultimate weekend of the season.

Rather than be tempted to quit The Hawthorns for another top-flight experience, Jonas stayed firmly loyal to the club. His family had settled in the area and to prove this, he signed a four-year contract extension in September 2009. He helped the club win instant promotion back to the Premier League in 2009-2010 with four goals, including a double in a win over Doncaster Rovers. West Brom were now a much more stubborn force on their return and Olsson would then feature in the next seven Premier League campaigns. He figured regularly for all West Brom’s Premier League managers including rookie boss Steve Clarke and the experienced Tony Pulis.

Olsson formed a combative and strong partnership at centre-back with Gareth McAuley when the experienced Northern Ireland international joined from Ipswich Town on a free transfer in 2011. Together, they became two of the most feared defensive players in attacking set-pieces. In fact, in only one full campaign did Olsson fail to score during his Premier League career (2012-2013).

With stiffer competition for places in the West Brom line-up in 2016-2017, Olsson and the club agreed to terminate his contract in March 2017. He’d made just seven appearances in one of the club’s most successful Premier League campaigns and this freed him up to join Djurgardens IF back in Sweden. This meant he linked up with fellow ex-Premier League players and compatriots Andreas Isaksson and Kim Kallstrom.

He has already featured 22 times for Djurgardens IF as he winds down an impressive career. Olsson has stated that once he is done with his professional football career, he wants to qualify as a lawyer and work within the sphere of human rights. He has plans in place to be successful after he hangs his footballing boots up. Jonas Olsson is one of West Bromwich Albion’s greatest-ever Premier League players.