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Nottingham Forest midfielder Orel Mangala has been praised by former manager Hannes Wolf, who has backed him to shine in the Premier League on two conditions.

Wolf has been speaking Het Laatste Nieuws, relayed by Voetbal Primeur, about the Forest star after he shone for Belgium during the international break.

He was a surprise inclusion in Domenico Tedesco’s squad for the games against Sweden, with the new boss of the Red Devils electing for big changes for his first games in charge.

The decision to include the Nottingham Forest man proved to be a smart one, with him playing a starring role alongside Amadou Onana in the 3-2 win over Germany.

That performances has earned him plenty of rave reviews, with some believing that he should be a regular in Belgium’s midfield in the coming years.

That would not be a surprise for his former manager Hannes Wolf, who has known Mangala from a young age and believes he has all the tools to be star in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.

“I was youth coach in Dortmund at the time. I was immediately charmed and wrote down his name,” he told the newspaper.

“When it turned out that there was a possibility of bringing him to Dortmund, we did not hesitate.

“I immediately noticed how strong he was in the small area. Technically he is very skilled, and at the same time he is also strong in duels. Only minor muscle injuries often threw a spanner in the works.

“Stability and staying healthy are the keys to success for him. If he finds that constant and can stay injury-free, he can play a role in the Premier League as well.”