Liverpool get pathway to signing £70m Brazil international

It looks like Liverpool will be undergoing a renewal at centre-back in summer.

Two young defenders in Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet will be added to Arne Slot’s array of first-team options. But the Premier League champions could also face losing Ibrahima Konate on a free.

Beyond 2026 and the picture becomes even less secure. Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are both contract until the end of the 2026/26 season - meaning recruitment looks inevitable at the heart of defence.

It means a deal for a proven, experienced talent could be on the cards - with Nico Schlotterbeck and Alessandro Bastoni among the names linked with an Anfield move.

But a pathway has now emerged for signing Murillo, 23, from Nottingham Forest.

LFC could sign Murillo

With the Tricky Trees facing relegation unless they get their act together Murillo could be sacrificed if they are dragged into the Championship.

That’s according to a report in the iPaper - which claims that the Brazil international is happy right now at the City Ground despite Liverpool being joined by Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United in their admiration.

“Murillo is not understood to be agitating for a move as yet, having only signed a new deal until 2029 last January, but Forest’s hand could be forced if they are relegated,” the report reads.

“Should United or another interested party – Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid are understood to be monitoring the Brazilian – make their move, it is thought his mind can be changed.”

Murillo: Situation summary

Murillo Santiago Costa dos Santos is a 23-year-old left-footed centre-back for Nottingham Forest, regarded as their standout outfield player and one of the Premier League’s top young defenders.

Signed from Corinthians in 2023 for around €6–7m, he quickly became a starter, winning Forest’s 2023–24 Player of the Season award and earning a contract extension to June 2029 that put the club in a strong bargaining position.

At 180cm, he is aggressive and proactive, leading the league in clearances in 2024–25 while also standing out for his ability to step out with the ball and launch attacks from deep.

This blend of front-foot defending, athleticism and on-ball quality has triggered sustained interest from Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and, more recently, Liverpool, with Forest’s price expectations now widely reported in the £60–70m (€70–82m) bracket.

Forest are under no immediate pressure to sell but, amid relegation risk and the player’s openness to a step up, there is a growing sense that a move to a Champions League-level club in 2026 is increasingly likely if bids hit that range.

Analysis

If a deal can be done then this may well be one of the better options available to Richard Hughes. Murillo now has ample Premier League experience and is a name that has featured on the Reds’ recruitment shortlists for quite some time.

A left-footed defender, Murillo could eventually be groomed to take over from Van Dijk in the heart of the backline. Much will depend on Forest’s Premier League status - with no guarantees right now on whether or not they will be in the top flight next season.

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