Orel Mangala returned to Nottingham Forest this week and he’s wasted little time in making a huge impression. The Reds midfielder was handed an extra week off after playing for Belgium in two European Championship qualifiers back in June.
The talented midfielder was a steady performer for the Reds during 2022/23. He did struggle a little bit with the physicality of the Premier League initially, but he soon found his form.
Mangala finished the season as an integral part of the Forest midfield. Steve Cooper deployed him alongside Ryan Yates and Danilo, with the trio helping the Reds secure survival.
The 2023/24 campaign is likely to be a big one for the 25-year-old. He’s now established himself on the international level and he will want to kick on domestically with Forest.
Mangala made 31 appearances for Forest, scoring once away at Leeds and also registering one assist for the team. His presence in midfield didn’t go unnoticed and at £12 million, he looks an absolute steal.
MORE FOREST STORIES
The player has wasted little time in getting back into full flow in training. Yesterday, he posted a piece of skill on Tik Tok that left teammate Remo Freuler absolutely bamboozled.
Mangala showcased his silky footwork during a training exercise. Freuler saw the funny side but he couldn’t offer anything in the way of a tackle as Mangala danced beyond him.
Mangala showcases amazing skills during training exercise
This piece of skill was actually quite simple but it was supremely effective. It’s been claimed that Freuler could leave Forest this summer and he will hope that he doesn’t come up against Mangala!
- Watch Mangala’s moment of magic here
For the Belgian, he came in for some praise from the fan base last season. He bounced back from his injury problems superbly well and hopefully, he can kick on next season.
Forest do still want to sign another midfielder before the transfer window closes. Hopefully, it won’t be at the expense of Mangala, who at 25 still has bags of potential and should only thrive under regular game time.