Nottingham Forest in line for £15m summer windfall as midfielder reveals transfer hope

The Belgian international has spoken about his future after helping to turn around Lyon’s season in Ligue 1 following his loan move to France in the winter window

Orel Mangala is hoping Lyon make his loan switch permanent to provide Nottingham Forest with a £15m boost this summer.

The Belgian midfielder joined Lyon on loan in the winter window and has played his part in the French club’s successful turnaround. They were in relegation trouble when he arrived, but sit seventh in Ligue 1 with one game to play and still have a Coupe de France final against PSG to look forward to.

While not playing every week due to injuries, Mangala’s record when he has played has been impressive, with nine wins from 10 outings across all competitions and a couple of goals to boot. And so he’s looking to stay where he is.

The 26-year-old was a regular for Forest before heading to France in a loan deal that was worth £10m. A purchase clause of £15m with £3m in bonuses is written into the contract.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Mangala said: “I feel good here even if some physical problems prevented me from playing a run of games. I am happy with my season and the confidence that was placed in me. The purchase option? I hope it will be triggered, yes.”

Mangala arrived at Forest for £12.7m from Stuttgart in the summer of 2022, and so the total deal with Lyon works out a decent profit. He played 53 matches in his 18 months at the City Ground, scoring twice.