Yahoo News Murillo transfer latest - what's been said, what we know so far as Nottingham Forest ace targeted
Murillo’s Nottingham Forest future has been one of the hot topics so far this summer, and it seems unlikely the chatter will die down any time soon.
The way the centre-back took to English football with the Reds last season made plenty of clubs sit up and take notice. And that has led to no shortage of transfer gossip doing the rounds about the Brazilian.
The window has been open for little more than a fortnight and still has almost two months left to run. With Murillo firmly in the spotlight, NottinghamshireLive rounds up the situation as things stand.
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Story so far
Forest signed Murillo from Corinthians last summer for the bargain price of £11 million. It looked a good fee from very early on in his Reds career as he adapted to the Premier League with ease, and it looks even better now.
The defender cemented his place in the starting XI last term, racking up 36 appearances. He is yet to score his first goal in the Garibaldi, although it is not for the want of trying as he has quickly become known for his brilliant efforts.
Murillo played a key part in Nuno Espirito Santo’s side securing survival and deservedly took the club’s player of the season crown. Inevitably, his form meant he caught the eye of other teams.
Who is interested?
It might be quicker to say who isn’t! Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Manchester United, PSG, Real Madrid and Barcelona have been linked. Atletico Madrid have reportedly held talks with his representatives.
Juventus reportedly asked about “the conditions of” a potential deal. However, it seems the Italian giants have now been ruled out of the scrap for his signature as they are unable to accommodate another non-EU player in their squad.
Chelsea keen
The Blues are also among the list of clubs keeping tabs on the 21-year-old. Recent reports suggested the Reds’ £60 million-plus valuation was considered too high by the Stamford Bridge outfit. However, it was said they could consider a cash-plus-players offer with the possibility of including Trevor Chalobah as part of any deal.
Murillo has since confirmed Chelsea’s interest. Responding to the suggestion of a £70m move, he 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.”
Whether other teams try their luck in the coming weeks and months remains to be seen. Premier League clubs have until 11pm on August 30 to complete their transfer business.
Forest’s PSR situation
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. That is a huge positive.
Nevertheless, the interest in one of their star players is unlikely to go away. But with the June 30 accounting deadline having passed, it should mean the club are in a stronger position to consider and deal with any offers for Murillo - should they come in - on their own terms.
What has been said?
It appears Murillo has his sights set on a move at some point. Asked about his decision to join the Reds, he told Back in the same interview referenced above: “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.”
In a previous interview, the defender, who is under contract until 2028, said: "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."
Speaking after the final game of last season, head coach Nuno admitted it was inevitable there would be interest in some of his top players this summer. He said: You have to realise that the way we finished this season, some players in our squad are going to attract interest, for sure. They are talented, they are young and they are in a good moment of their careers. You cannot control these things. We have to see what happens.”
