Chelsea are in battle with Liverpool over a deal to sign Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo, according to TEAMtalk.
The 23-year-old came through the Corinthians academy in the Campeonato Brasileiro before earning a move to Europe with Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023.
What made his arrival even more remarkable was his limited experience before the transfer. He had made only 13 senior appearances in Brazil’s top division, yet he quickly cemented his place as a central figure in the side.
Since then, Murillo has reached 100 appearances for Forest, scoring three goals and delivering countless vital tackles, clearances and last-ditch interventions, most notably his dramatic 97th-minute goal-line clearance to deny Harry Maguire as Forest won 1-0 in April 2025.
Although he has been in fine form this season, featuring in 25 games across all competitions, Forest are at risk of relegation after a run of poor results, leading to speculation that he could depart the club, with several clubs now keen.
This is according to TEAMtalk, which claims that Murillo is looking to depart Forest in the summer, with interest in his signature becoming ‘strong and serious’.
Battle
The report adds that Chelsea and Liverpool are already ahead of other clubs, having conducted their own checks on the combative centre-back over the past year, during which they even considered making formal offers.
For Chelsea, TEAMtalk claims that the London giants have a ‘firm’ interest in Murillo and are open to offers for some of their current centre-back options, including Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, and Trevoh Chalobah, to make room for another centre-back with the Brazilian now eyed.
On the other hand, despite trumping Chelsea to sign Jeremy Jacquet and the potential return of Giovanni Leoni, Liverpool have earmarked Murillo for a move to Anfield due to uncertainties surrounding the futures of Ibrahima Konaté and Joe Gomez, according to the report.
In a boost to both clubs, TEAMtalk adds that Forest are aware of the Brazil international’s desire to leave the City Ground and are expected to demand a fee above £50m to sanction his departure amid interest from the Reds and Blues.
Murillo is now widely tipped to continue his career in the Premier League, with interest in his services growing not just from Liverpool and Chelsea but also from Arsenal, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, TEAMtalk adds.
