Nottingham Forest have agreed a £12.7m deal to sign Stuttgart midfielder Orel Mangala, who is set to become the newly-promoted side’s 12th summer signing.
The 24-year-old will have his Forest medical on Tuesday with the deal set to take Forest’s summer spending to £73.5m.
The Belgian international made 29 appearances across all competitions for the German side last season, scoring one goal.
Mangala also made his Belgium international debut in March against Ireland.
Forest are also still working on a deal to sign Real Betis left-back Alex Moreno, who made 45 appearances in all competitions last season for the La Liga side.
The Spaniard’s contract at Betis, where the 29-year-old has been for the last three seasons, is up in 2025.
Busy Forest set to add Mangala ahead of PL return
Forest have been busy so far in the transfer market as they prepare for their first season in the Premier League in 23 years.
Mangala is set to become Steve Cooper’s side’s newest recruit after Jesse Lingard’s arrival last week on a one-year deal.
Sky Sports News has been told Lingard is now Forest’s highest earner, with his deal thought to be worth £115,000-per-week plus incentives.
Forest have also brought in Huddersfield Town’s Lewis O’Brien and Harry Toffolo.
Last month, Forest signed Nigeria forward Taiwo Awoniyi for a club-record £17.5m fee and brought in Moussa Niakhate and Neco Williams – both in deals worth £17m.
Forest have also signed Brandon Aguilera, Giulian Biancone, Omar Richards, Dean Henderson and Wayne Hennessey.
Nottingham Forest fixtures: Forest return with trip to Newcastle
Nottingham Forest’s first game back in the Premier League will be a trip to Newcastle on August 6, as the Reds embark on their first top-flight season since the 1998-98 campaign.
Steve Cooper’s side won promotion to England’s top tier after they won the Championship play-off final against Huddersfield at the end of May, ending a near-quarter of a century wait for Premier League football.
Forest’s first top-flight home game back sees David Moyes’ West Ham arrive at the City Ground on August 14, live on Sky Sports.
Forest then face a tricky next few games as they travel to Everton, host Tottenham, live on Sky Sports, and then go to champions Manchester City before the end of August.
Forest’s East Midlands rivalry with Leicester City will resume on October 1 at the King Power Stadium, with the return fixture at the City Ground on January 14. The club’s Boxing Day fixture sees them go to Old Trafford for a trip to Manchester United.
The Reds will end their season with a trip to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, after having gone to Chelsea and hosted Arsenal in the preceding weeks.