Albion boss Gus Poyet wants to sign Chile star Gonzalo Jara Reyes permanently.

Jara Reyes is back in contention for Nottingham Forest’s visit to The Amex tomorrow.

The versatile defender has made only two appearances for the Seagulls on loan from West Brom, due to a knee injury, but Poyet is keen to make his move permanent once the temporary deal expires on January 2.

Poyet told The Argus: “There is no doubt about that, on what he has showed so far and what I know of him from the Chilean national team.

“I don’t know what the chances are. We haven’t talked yet, because unfortunately he hasn’t been able to play too many games.

“We are waiting until when we get closer to the end of the loan, what his situation is here and with West Brom, and then we’ll see, because it’s not an easy one to do.”

The Argus revealed on Monday Poyet’s plans to freshen up his squad in January. “We are working on it,” he said. “It’s a possibility, no doubt.

“It is very difficult to buy a player you want in January. Maybe if a player is getting towards the end of his contract you can have an agreement to pay a little bit and get him straight away.

“The other strong option is a half-season loan from a Premiership club but everybody wants the same, so it’s difficult.”

Jara Reyes has trained all week and worked with the first team squad yesterday. The 26-year-old has not played since sustaining a knee injury in the 0-0 draw at Birmingham at the end of October.

He was due to start at Watford three days later but pulled out during the warm-up and was subsequently involved in a curfew row with some of his Chile team-mates when ruled out of two World Cup qualifiers by the injury.

Jara Reyes is likely to replace the suspended Inigo Calderon at right-back against Forest if fully fit, although Poyet’s assistant Mauricio Taricco is also available again after a two-match ban.

Poyet also expects to have Vicente available following the Spanish playmaker’s eight-match absence with a thigh injury.