Man Utd & Chelsea want ‘the best player’ at Nottingham Forest as European Cup-winning Reds legend reacts to transfer rumours

Those figures are not being bandied about at present, with it suggested that an offer of between £50m ($67m) and £70m ($94m) could be enough to prise a highly-rated performer away from the City Ground. Forest will, however, be putting up a fight in any negotiations.

They have Murillo tied to a contract through to the summer of 2029, meaning that they are under no pressure to sanction a sale. Their hand may, however, be forced if the 23-year-old - who moved to England in 2023 - expresses a desire to move on.

Two-time European Cup winner Anderson has seen plenty of Murillo across his 100 appearances for Forest and - speaking in association with Betting site BetSelect - told GOAL when asked if the Brazil international is ready to join a Premier League title hopeful: “I did an event for Forest about six/seven months ago with Ryan Yates, did an adidas thing for the club, and while we were there - must have been there three or four hours - I just asked him a question: Who is the best player? He went, Murillo, straight away. That tells me he’s a good player. 

“I have seen a lot of him and he is a really good player. He will be sadly missed if he does go, but there’s a long way to go. He has got some left foot, those diagonal balls, but Yates said he was the best player at the club and I was surprised because of all the other people that are up there as well.”

Anderson played alongside a couple of iconic centre-halves in his Forest heyday, under the legendary Brian Clough, and added on Murillo being much more than an old school ‘head it and kick it’ defender: “No, which [Larry] Lloyd and [Kenny] Burns were. They could play as well but Cloughie’s main message was ‘once you get the ball, give it to someone that can play’. It’s all changed since then. He’s great on the ball and, invariably, centre-halves have more than anybody in the modern day.”

Another Forest legend, former captain Stuart Pearce, has previously told GOAL of why Murillo stands out from the crowd: “I really like him. He’s one of these that churns the games out, plays all the games, reads the game really well.

“He’s not your stamp of a central defender. He’s got a physique that makes him look like SpongeBob, but I think he’s a real talent. Comfortable on the ball, can find a pass. He does the unusual at times as well but when you consider his age, he is a real talent.”

Stan Collymore, who became a fan favourite during his time at the City Ground, has also told GOAL when asked if Murillo could become the first defender to generate a nine-figure fee in the transfer market: “He could be. There are clubs watching him. From a personal perspective I would love to see him stay at Forest for the next three, four, five years. He’s signed his new contract.

“He has got a bit of everything. It’s a strange one really because he doesn’t look like a central defender at all – he’s not the tallest, he’s fairly ungainly in the way that he moves around, but he’s a bit of a throwback in terms of liking to defend, likes to get touch-tight with players and get physical and he anticipates things well.

“He may well go on to become the first £100m defender, which for Forest would be an incredible deal if it came. My hope is that he stays for another two or three years.”

Murillo may yet stay put, with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis renowned for being the toughest of negotiators. They will, however, have to steer a course away from Premier League relegation danger in order to keep prized assets on Trentside.

Having appointed their fourth permanent manager of the season, the Reds will open a new era under ex-Wolves boss Vitor Pereira when facing Fenerbahce in the Europa League knockout phase play-offs on Thursday, before then playing host to Liverpool on Sunday.