Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are among several clubs interested in signing Nottingham Forest defender Murillo in the summer transfer window.
Murillo, 21, has been one of Nottingham Forest’s standout performers this season, racking up 27 appearances following last summer’s move from Corinthians. The Brazilian defender was on the radar of Napoli, Manchester City and West Ham United before joining the Tricky Trees. However, the youngster could be on the move after just one season at City Ground due to the club’s financial problems.
Nottingham Forest find themselves in the regelation zone after being docked four points for breaching Premier League Profit and Sustainability rules (PSR) last week, and despite what is their status at the end of the season, they will likely have to sell several stars and top earners to balance their books. Given his age, talent and high potential, Murillo is one of the prime candidates to depart.
Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are reportedly circling for Murillo’s signature after being left impressed by his performances in the Premier League. The 21-year-old is also on the radar of Manchester United while Spanish heavyweights Barcelona remain keen on securing his services.
Premier League bigwigs hot on trail of Murillo
Murillo has performed very well in his debut season with Forest, attracting interest from several top Premier League and European clubs.
Chelsea need to reinforce their backline after an underwhelming season, with Thiago Silva likely to leave the club on a free transfer in the summer. They must replace the veteran Brazilian sufficiently, and Murillo would be a top acquisition.
Meanwhile, Arsenal could certainly add more quality and depth to their squad as they aim to compete on all fronts next term. Being left-footed, Murillo could challenge Gabriel Magalhaes for a spot in the starting XI and potentially form a solid partnership with William Saliba at the heart of the Gunners’ defence.
As far as Liverpool are concerned, they must first identify a new manager to replace Jurgen Klopp before the next season commences. In addition, the Merseyside outfit must plan to replace Joel Matip, who is out of contract at the end of June. Murillo, in that regard, is a viable target for Liverpool as the defender has the required qualities to play for a top European club.
Forest are currently battling relegation and will need to sell key players like Murillo in the summer if they go down to the second division of English football. That said, it will be interesting to see where the Brazilian central defender ends up ultimately.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
