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Orel Mangala isn’t a name which many English football fans will be familiar with.

The 21 year old plays for VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga 2, but also represents Belgium at U21 level.

Currently away with the national group he’s been speaking to HLN, and it gave the Belgian newspaper chance to bring up interest in the player from elsewhere.

Having spent last season on loan at Hamburg, the youngster received ‘concrete interest’ in the summer, with Arsenal being one of the clubs keen.

Lyon were prepared to pay €12m, according to the claims, whilst Marseille, Lille, AS Roma and Arsenal also ‘sniffed’ around. There was also a €20m offer, but Mangala’s entourage wants to keep the identity of the bidding club a secret, because the interest stills exists.

Quizzed on a potential winter move, HLN quote Mangala as saying: “Leave in the winter? Anything is possible. If I had the money, I would buy myself. You know, it is good to hear such amounts. It is an appreciation for my work. That is always nice.”

Stuttgart are said to have wanted €30m in the summer, an unrealistic amount. Arsenal, should they wish to move in January, probably wouldn’t want to go as far as the €20m figure, given this is a player in Germany’s second division.

So far this season, the central midfielder has played 13 matches for Stuttgart, who are third in the Bundesliga 2.

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