Chelsea keen on £70m Nottingham Forest defender as top January target

Chelsea are interesting in signing Nottingham Forest defender Murillo. The Blues are in the market for a new central defender after injuries and indifferent form from their current defensive options.

Levi Colwill has yet to feature this season after picking up an injury in preseason, while Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo have both struggled for fitness. Trevoh Chalobah’s dismissal against Brighton on Matchday 6 meant Chelsea faced champions Liverpool with a makeshift centre back pairing in Badiashile and Acheapong.

The Blues went on to grab all three points at Stamford Bridge, but concerns still linger after some uncertain moments defensively. Boss Enzo Maresca expressed interest in bolstering his defence in the summer window which saw his side spend over £282m on forward players.

It now seems the Blues are looking to bolster the other side of the pitch in January, with the Daily Express reporting that Nottingham Forest defender Murillo is the name highest on the wish list. Murillo has impressed since joining Forest from Brazilian side Corinthians in the summer of 2023.

The 23-year-old has emerged as of the Premier League brightest talents for both his defensive ability and his poise in possession. Barcelona and Liverpool have also been previously linked with the player.

Chelsea chasing Murillo

Chelsea were reportedly in for Murillo in January of 2024 but were priced out of a move for the player. Forest were believed to be holding out for close to £70m for their star defender. While the Blues’ shortlist is also understood to include Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, Murillo is seen as the favourite.

Guehi continues to be strongly linked with Liverpool after his failed deadline day move, while Real Madrid is also keen on the England international. Guehi is also unlikely move midseason ahead of free agency in the summer, so Murillo is seen as an attainable January target.

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Nadji Grizzle

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Nadji is a football writer with over 10 years of experience covering the Premier League. His work has been featured on Football Fancast, Arsenal-Mania, and Arsenal.com, where he has built a reputation for delivering sharp analysis, engaging storytelling, and in-depth coverage of the game.

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