Nottingham Forest defender Murillo is attracting significant interest from Premier League clubs as the January transfer window fast approaches.
The 23-year-old Brazilian impressed last season and has rediscovered his form this season since the arrival of new manager Sean Dyche at the City Ground.
He even got his name on the scoresheet last time out with a goal in Forest’s recent 3-0 win at Liverpool.
Transfer News Blitz writer Taylor Stephenson explores the likelihood and logic behind a move for the highly-rated centre-back.
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This time, it actually makes sense
Normally, when Chelsea are linked with a player, you instinctively assume it’s just another entry in their ongoing quest to collect footballers like they are trying to fill a Panini sticker album.
But this time the interest actually makes sense.
Chelsea desperately needs defensive reinforcements. At times this season, their backline has performed about as effectively as a chocolate fireguard.
Recent clean sheets have helped steady the ship, with them achieving three on the bounce, but considering two of those came against Burnley and Wolves, let’s not draw too many conclusions from that.
Murillo, however, is a signing that fits the bill. He’s Premier League proven, young, and somehow fills a hole in a squad already the size of a small nation’s population.
Only works in one scenario
Arsenal are also heavily linked with Murillo, but unlike Chelsea, it’s hard to work out how he fits.
They already possess one of the best centre-back pairings in world football in Gabriel and William Saliba – backed up by Cristhian Mosquera and Pedro Hincapie, the latter of whom could join permanently.
Spending £70-80 million on another centre-half just feels unnecessary when their depth is already among the league’s strongest, and would surely be better suited spent elsewhere.
The only scenario where this transfer makes sense is if Saliba leaves for Real Madrid, as some rumours have suggested. Short of that, it’s a luxury addition in a squad that doesn’t need one.
A logical piece to the rebuild
Manchester United, meanwhile, are crying out for higher-quality central defenders.
Ruben Amorim appears committed to his three-at-the-back system, even though his squad is clearly not built for it, highlighted by the fact that Luke Shaw was deployed as a centre-half against Everton.
Harry Maguire is reportedly close to signing a new contract, but United are still trawling the market for more options at the back.
Marc Guehi has been mentioned, but he seems likelier to end up at Liverpool after a deadline-day move collapsed in the summer, and their own series of defensive woes.
Murillo, like the Chelsea case, would be a relatively low-risk, high-upside option. United know what he can do, and he’s young enough to keep developing.
Instead of splashing big money on a glamorous foreign name and finding themselves in the same situation a year later, the smarter option might be right in front of them.
Where should he go?
If you step into Murillo’s shoes, both Manchester United and Chelsea look like good moves.
Both clubs have their problems, but they remain global football powerhouses and would represent a clear step up in his career.
Forced to choose, Chelsea feels the slightly better fit. Yes, he may need to get changed in the car park because there’s no room left in the dressing room, but Enzo Maresca’s project seems more stable than what’s happening at United.
I’m not entirely convinced Ruben Amorim has the same level of backing at Old Trafford that Maresca appears to enjoy at Stamford Bridge. Then again, this is Chelsea. By the time the transfer window rolls around, Maresca could already be gone.
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