• Premier League

Rosenberg urges Olsson to stay

ESPN staff
August 13, 2012
Markus Rosenberg has signed a three-year deal © Getty Images
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Markus Rosenberg is hoping to persuade his fellow Swede Jonas Olsson to stay at West Bromwich Albion.

Rosenberg, 29, arrived at the Hawthorns last week on a three-year deal and expressed his desire for countryman Olsson to commit his future to the Baggies.

Those hopes appeared to be remote, with sources indicating that the giant defender favours a move, but Albion believe they may now be making some progress towards keeping him.

Olsson has a season left on his contract with Albion, where he has spent the last five years, and the club would rather cash in at a reasonable fee now than lose him on a free next summer.

A move to London would suit Olsson, but it remains to be seen whether Fulham or Tottenham, both of whom have been linked with him, follow up their reported interest with a firm bid.

Rosenberg said: "We stayed for one month in Europe together [at Euro 2012] and my manager was telling me about West Brom. I talked about everything to Jonas - the facilities, the people, the players, the city. Everything he said was positive.

"Now I have to try to talk to him so that he stays. I saw him in the national team, and he is a fantastic player."

Rosenberg's capture by Albion, coupled with the loan deal that has taken Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku to the West Midlands for the season, has helped create a glut of strikers - something new manager Steve Clarke has begun to address.

Simon Cox was last week sold to Nottingham Forest, who Albion beat at the City Ground on Friday in their final friendly before Saturday's Premier League opener at home to Liverpool.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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