Nottingham Forest confirm exit of 'invaluable' star amid Rangers transfer links as he gets set for new chapter

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the exit of a star supposedly wanted by Rangers this summer.

The Light Blues are on the hunt for fresh talent to kickstart new head coach Russell Martin’s reign in the dugout, alongside new owners 49ers Enterprises and Andrew Cavenagh. They have been linked with players in a variety of positions and one man has now had his exit from Nottingham Forest confirmed.

Harry Toffolo will leave the club after his contract expires this summer, having joined them from Huddersfield Town in 2022. It was claimed over the weekend that the experienced left back would be interested in the move to Rangers were it on offer and now a chance for the club to make their play without a transfer fee has emerged. He leaves Nottingham Forest with a massive farewell.

Harry Toffolo leaves Nottingham Forest amid Rangers links

A statement reads: “Nottingham Forest can confirm that Harry Toffolo will depart the Club upon the expiration of his contract this summer. Since his arrival from Huddersfield Town in 2022, Toffolo has made an invaluable contribution not only on the pitch, but also off it. Last year, the 29-year-old was named as an ambassador for Tricky to Talk – Nottingham Forest Community Trust’s mental health programme – having attended several Tricky Hubs and Bottled Up Blokes sessions, speaking about his own history with mental health whilst actively listening to participants who share similar struggles.

“Toffolo also attended a number of Community Trust’s Soccer Schools visits, helping to inspire the next generation of aspiring footballers, and his off-the-pitch contributions were rightly recognised as he was named the Club’s PFA Community Champion in the 2023/24 season. Toffolo, who made a total of 57 appearances for Forest, produced an outstanding goal-line clearance in Forest’s 2-1 away victory at Tottenham Hotspur in April – a win that proved to be crucial in the Reds’ pursuit of European football for the first time in 30 years.

Who are Rangers left back options?

“The defender’s first and only goal for the Club came in a 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers in December 2023 meant that he has scored in each of England’s top four divisions, outlining his impressive rise up the football pyramid. As he embarks on a new chapter, everyone at the Club sends their sincere thanks to Harry for his outstanding contribution to Nottingham Forest and wishes him every success for the future.”

Currently, the position of left back is where Rangers are currently well stocked. Jefte and Ridvan Yilmaz are both options in this area while Robbie Fraser impressed on loan at Livingston as they earned promotion from the Championship. However, Jefte was linked with moves away last season and Yilmaz has been repeatedly linked with moves back to Turkey throughout time at Rangers. Other players linked to the club this summer include Conor Coady, Flynn Downes, Jamie Vardy, Dor Turgeman and many more.