Nottingham Forest decided to offload Orel Mangala during the summer transfer window – and now he’s been explaining why he pushed to leave in January.
The midfielder has been speaking with the official website of his new club, Lyon.
So, what exactly has Mangala had to say on his exit from Forest? Let’s take a closer look…
What Orel Mangala has said about leaving Nottingham Forest
Well, it’s clear that Mangala seemingly pushed to leave the Reds during the summer – with Ligue 1 a bit of a surprise destination.
Forest chose to accept an offer that included Mangala going to Lyon on loan with a mandatory option for them to buy him in the summer.
The midfielder had been a regular in the team this season, with Who Scored showing the player as one of the best midfielders in the squad.
However, the central midfield ranks are well-stocked, however, and as a result, Forest decided to cash in on Mangala.
Now, Mangala has lifted the lid on his decision to leave Forest and he’s excited for the next challenge.
He told the club’s official website: “It’s an attractive Championship, a little underestimated for my taste. There are very good players coming out of it, and there is a good level.
“OL remains an attractive club, with a very good history. There are good infrastructures. It is a club that doesn’t deserve to be where it is. The project interested me, and that’s why I came here.”
Mangala is a player Reds can do without
Although he’d been in fine form during 2023/24, Mangala was part of a midfield that is very well-stocked.
The Reds have Danilo, Nicolas Dominguez, Ryan Yates and Ibrahim Sangare in place on Trentside – with Cheikhou Kouyate also in place.
Mangala leaving wasn’t ideal because he was playing so well. With FFP loitering in the background, however, it’s a deal that does make sense.
In our view, it was the right thing to do and it’s good that Mangala has settled away from Forest and already bagged his first goal for his new club.
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