There are many markers of just how much progress Nottingham Forest have made this season.
The fact Saturday’s clash at home to Manchester City (12.30pm kick-off) is a contest between third (Forest) and fourth in the Premier League table is one. Another is that defender Murillo has again been included in the Brazil squad.
The centre-back will be hoping he gets on the pitch for his country this time, when they face Colombia and Argentina in World Cup qualifiers later this month. His first call-up came last November, but despite racking up the air miles to link up with the team he did not get any minutes on that occasion.
After he had returned to the City Ground, head coach Nuno Espirito Santo urged the 22-year-old to continue performing in the Garibaldi to earn another opportunity. And Murillo has done just that.
His star quality was already clear prior to this season. Indeed, it was obvious in his first away game for the Reds when he almost scored what would have been a worldie against Crystal Palace.
But with the addition of Nikola Milenkovic alongside him, Murillo has gone from strength to strength this term. The exciting part is he can get even better; he still has plenty of room for development.
It is understandable he has a long list of admirers. His exquisite back-heel flick in the opposition box against Ipswich Town on Monday night showed exactly why he is such an exciting talent.
Meanwhile, the 1-1 draw with Liverpool in January provided a show-reel of outstanding defensive contributions. The £11 million Forest spent to sign him in the summer of 2023 looks better and better business with every passing week.
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A key aspect of Forest’s transfer strategy in the last two windows has been to retain the core of their squad and fend off any potential suitors keen on their prized assets - Murillo included. If he continues on the same upward trajectory between now and May, the Reds might well find other clubs come sniffing again.
Forest, though, are in the driving seat on that front. Getting Murillo tied to a new deal earlier this year was a big statement of intent - not that Nuno viewed it that way when he reflected on the former Corinthians man penning fresh terms until 2029.
“It is good for us. Essentially it is good for us that our players who are here are happy, motivated and committed,” the Portuguese said at the time.
“There is no player in our squad without those feelings of commitment and wanting to improve themselves. Murillo is just another one.
“It is not a sign to anybody. The squad has to be happy, play good and compete well.
“We are delighted he is going to be long-term at Forest. He is a player with immense talent. He can improve immensely due to his age. The improvement is there since he joined us. As long as he keeps himself healthy and available, he is going to be great.”
Very early on last summer there was a rare misstep from the defender when he suggested he viewed his move to Forest as a stepping stone, where he could “have a good year and then go to a big club”. He corrected himself soon afterwards. In a subsequent interview with the Telegraph, he said: “I need regular game-time and really feel that with Forest I’m in the best place for my career.”
Fast forward a few months and Murillo has earned another Brazil call-up because of his performances for Forest. He is into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with the Reds and is pushing for a place in the Champions League.
Murillo is a perfect case in point of what it is possible to achieve with Forest, both individually and collectively. Ahead of another big summer window, such an example says a great deal - both when it comes to keeping hold of players and bringing others in.
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