Player Profile: Defender Gonzalo Jara
By Jemma Tappenden
February 17 2010
Defender Gonzalo Jara signed for West Bromwich Albion on the 25th August 2009 for a fee of £1.4million. The 24 year old had expected to move to the Baggies earlier that month, but West Brom withdrew from the deal when his current South American club Colo-Colo had requested a £3 million sum. The Chilean born defender finally made his move to the UK later that month after a revised deal.
The West Brom defender made his professional debut with a club called Huachipato, before moving to South American side Colo-Colo in 2007.
The young Jara had made a name for himself in 2006 when the Chilean National Team Coach Nelson Acosta selected him as part of the squad European tour squad. His seletion at this time was largely attributed to his contribution in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship.
Jara was part of the national set up for the 2010 World Cup Qualifiers, making a total of 31 international appearances to date netting 3 goals.
His £1.4 million move to West Brom last summer sees him at the club until the summer of 2012. Jara netted his first goal for the Baggies in November 2009 against Leicester City.