Manchester United are interested in landing the signature of Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo next summer, according to The Daily Mail.
The Red Devils primarily focused on bolstering their attacking department last summer, and the onus could shift to reinforcing the midfield and defensive positions at the end of the campaign.
A marquee centre-back appears a necessity and The Daily Mail claim that Man United are keen on landing Murillo as a replacement for Harry Maguire, who could leave on a free transfer.
Maguire’s current deal concludes on June 30 and no extension talks have been held.
Murillo has his sights on leaving Forest next summer despite penning a new deal in January 2025. United could boost their prospects of signing him by qualifying for the Champions League.
Top-class
Murillo has made vast improvement since he arrived from Corinthians few years ago. The 23-year-old has developed into a solid centre-back due to his strong physique and no-nonsense defending.
In the current league campaign, he has won 2 tackles & 4 duels per game alongside 4 recoveries & 5 clearances. Forest are enduring a tough 2025/26 season, but Murillo has continued to excel for them.
United may see him as a direct competitor to the injury-prone Lisandro Martinez for the left centre-back position, given he is left-footed.
Martinez had a brilliant start to his United career, but his fitness has been a huge cause for concern lately due to injuries. The Argentine’s workload needs to be carefully managed to avoid further setbacks in future.
Murillo would be a perfect alternative to the Argentine in the starting XI for the Red Devils. It remains to be seen whether the club can prise him away from Forest during next summer’s transfer window.
It won’t be an easy task as Forest have tied Murillo to a contract until June 2029. The Tricky Trees are in a strong position to negotiate and may not provide a discount on their price tag for a possible sale.
The Telegraph previously reported that Forest believe Murillo could be worth £70 million in the future. Sean Dyche’s side may hold out for a similar amount to consider the departure of the Brazilian ace.
