Chelsea are reportedly fighting with a European giant over a deal to sign Nottingham Forest star Murillo, according to transfer expert Christian Falk.
The Blues have had to deal with some injuries and suspension issues at center back this season. Levi Colwill has been ruled out for the majority of this term due to a serious knee injury, while Wesley Fofana continues to struggle with fitness issues since joining from Leicester City a few years ago.
Trevoh Chalobah was suspended in the last match against Liverpool after receiving a red card against Brighton. So Enzo Maresca decided to use Josh Acheampong and Benoit Badiashile at the back against the Reds.
The duo showed promising performances but suffered bumps and were taken off the field before the end of the match. After that, Maresca was left with only Jorrel Hato as specialist CB.
Axel Disasi is also an option for Chelsea, but he has fallen out of favor under Maresca. So it seems that the West London club is considering signing a new defender next year.
Falk states that Chelsea have shown interest in Murillo, impressed by his recent standout performances, and could make a concrete move next year.
Murillo to Chelsea
Forest are in no rush to sell the Brazilian, having recently given him a new term until 2029, and want more than £43m if they are eventually forced to raise money.
The journalist says Chelsea will face tough competition from Bayern Munich to complete the deal. The Bavarian club wants a new defender because the future of Dayot Upamecano is currently uncertain. His existing contract expires next summer, while Kim Min-jae has fallen down the pecking order.
Chelsea have been buying very talented young players since acquiring Todd Boehly, and although they struggled initially, they are starting to reap the rewards.
Murillo is only 23 and has proven his worth in the Premier League in recent years. So he would be a smart signing for Chelsea with an eye to the long-term future if they buy him.
However, it will be interesting to see if the West London club ultimately manages to seal the deal by beating Bayern Munich in this race.
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