Yahoo News Murillo responds to '£70m' Chelsea transfer interest with Nottingham Forest admission
Nottingham Forest ace Murillo has confirmed Chelsea’s interest in signing him this summer.
The Brazilian has a long list of admirers after a sparkling first season in English football at the City Ground. The Blues are said to have approached their Premier League counterparts about the possibility of doing a deal.
Recent reports suggested the Reds’ £60 million-plus valuation was considered too high by Chelsea. However, it was said they could consider a cash-plus-players offer with the possibility of including Trevor Chalobah as part of any deal.
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Responding to the suggestion of a £70m move, Murillo told journalist Benjamin Back in an interview for his Benja Me Mucho YouTube channel (translated via Premier League Brasil): “I don't know if it’s 70 (million), but I know there was a buzz of interest. So, I don't know exactly how much the amount is, but I know there was interest.”
Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Manchester United, PSG, Real Madrid and Barcelona have also been linked with Murillo. Atletico Madrid have reportedly held talks with his representatives, while Juventus are said to have ruled themselves out of the race for his signature as they are unable to accommodate another non-EU player in their squad.
Forest signed the 21-year-old for £11m from Corinthians last summer. And the defender seemingly has his sights set on moving on at some point.
Asked about his move to the Reds, Murillo added: “It was my opinion, because I had the dream of playing in the Premier League and I had that thought. I said: ‘I'll go to Nottingham Forest, have a good year and then I'll go to a big club’. I had that in my head.”
The Reds managed to avoid a scenario where they might have had to consider letting Murillo go for a cut-price deal before the end of last month in order to comply with Profitability and Sustainability Rules. The interest in one of their star players is unlikely to go away, but with the accounting deadline having passed it should mean the club are in a stronger position to consider and deal with any offers - should they come in - on their own terms.
Murillo, who is under contract until 2028, said in a previous interview: "I've received a few offers. Some official, others sounding out. I'll take it up with my manager. They were clubs from England, Italy and Germany.
"If I stay at Nottingham, I'll do my best. If I leave, I hope they respect my decision. I'm calm and analysing it in the best way."
