Murillo nottingham forest
Chelsea have entered the race to sign Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo, according to German outlet Fussball Transfers.
The 23-year-old rose through the ranks at Brazilian side Corinthians before sealing a move to Europe to join Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023.
Unlike many South American players who often require time to adapt to European football — particularly in England — Murillo wasted no time in making an instant impact.
Remarkably, the youngster had made just 13 senior appearances in Brazil’s top flight and was relatively inexperienced before his move, yet he quickly established himself as a key figure in the side.
Since then, Murillo has gone on to make 80 appearances for Nottingham Forest, scoring twice while producing numerous goal-saving tackles, clearances, and decisive defensive interventions – most memorably his last-gasp 97th-minute goal-line clearance to deny Harry Maguire in Forest’s 1–0 victory over Manchester United in April.
He has continued his fine form this season, featuring in five matches, with his performances once again attracting the attention of several top clubs.
According to Fussball Transfers, Chelsea have joined several top European clubs to express interest in Murillo over his possible transfer to Stamford Bridge next summer.
Murillo to Chelsea
However, they face stern competition from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, as the German outlet claims that the Bavarians have earmarked the Brazil international as a potential replacement for Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae, who are facing uncertain futures at the Allianz Arena.
Although the report adds that Murillo has no release clause in his contract at the City Ground that runs until 2029, Forest will be keen on retaining the Brazilian centre-back unless they receive concrete offers above his £47m Transfermarkt valuation.
Maresca has also had to contend with a defensive injury crisis at centre-back, losing Levi Colwill to an ACL injury before the campaign even began, while Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana were both absent for the victory over Liverpool.
At the same time, they ended the game with Jorrel Hato and Reece James at centre-back after Benoît Badiashile and Josh Acheampong were forced off injured.
Murillo has been excellent for Forest, and there is no doubt that he would be a quality addition to Chelsea, as his versatility and efficiency on the ball make him a good profile for Maresca’s style of play.
However, Forest are unlikely to sanction his departure in January, so it’ll be interesting to see if the Blues will move on to other targets or wait till the summer to sign him.