Nottingham Forest have received a big boost in their pursuit of Swedish defender Martin Olsson, with the Scottish Sun reporting that any potential move to Rangers is now off.

The former Swansea and Norwich man is looking for a new club after seeing his deal with the Swans come to an end, and it was thought that Steven Gerrard was keen on bringing the experienced Swede to Ibrox.

However, according to latest reports, Gerrard has pulled the plug on the deal for Olsson, with Rangers wanting the flying left-back to prove his fitness prior to actually offering him a deal.

This has now paved the way for Martin O'Neill and Nottingham Forest to make a move for Olsson, with the Reds looking to make reinforcements ahead of next season following their disappointing attempts at making the top six last term.

Olsson has plenty of experience in the English game thanks to his time in the country, which stretches back to when he got his big break with Blackburn Rovers back in 2007.

He has gone on to forge a successful career for himself, primarily in and around the Premier League, with his spells and Carrow Road and the Liberty Stadium offering varying degrees of success.

The Verdict

This is good news for Nottingham Forest, who would be getting a solid player in the form of Olsson if they can indeed seal the deal.

His experience at this level will be invaluable, while the Swedish star still has plenty of pace in the bank too.

Forest need improvements ahead of the new season, and Olsson is certainly someone who ups the quality of the squad heading into the 19/20 campaign.