Sam Allardyce confirms interest in Blackburn's Martin Olsson

Sam Allardyce has revealed that negotiations with Blackburn Rovers over defender Martin Olsson are continuing, despite the Championship club placing a £7million price tag on the Swedish defender.

It was revealed earlier this week that West Ham had bid around £2million for the 24-year-old, an offer that was immediately rejected by the Ewood Park-based club.

However Allardyce, speaking to the press this morning ahead of this weekend's trip to Sunderland, admitted that he was still interested in acquiring the services of the Swedish international.

"We have made an enquiry. Negotiations are ongoing at the moment," he said. "I think that if I was strengthening anywhere at the moment it would be in the left back position because of our injury problems in that area."

However Allardyce denied reports that he was looking to strengthen in other areas - such as in goal, a position with which Olsson's team mate at Blackburn, Paul Robison, has been heavily linked with. "We are only looking at that position at the minute," he said.