Bayern Munich are all set to battle it out with Chelsea for the signature of Nottingham Forest defensive mainstay Murillo.

According to Christian Falk via CF Bayern Insider, Bayern Munich are keen on acquiring the services of Murillo, and they are all set to rival Chelsea in the race for his signature. The Brazilian centre-back has done wonders at Nottingham Forest, and his work hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Murillo came up the ranks at Corinthians and made a name for himself while playing for their first team before joining the Tricky Trees in the summer of 2023. He has only gone from strength to strength since.

The 23-year-old has established himself as one of their mainstays, and he is widely regarded as one of the best young defenders in the Premier League. His consistent performances have helped him break into the Brazil national team and have placed him on the wishlist of some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Chelsea are keen on signing the Brazilian

While Nottingham did secure his long-term future with a new deal at the start of the year, clubs are still willing to try and prise him away. Chelsea are one of the clubs that are keen on his signature.

The Blues already have a lot of options at the back, but they seek more quality and consider Murillo an ideal fit for their project. With Enzo Maresca ready to sell Axel Disasi, the Brazilian centre-back could replace him in the team.

Given their recent injury crisis, the 23-year-old could prove to be a valuable addition. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich are also keen on his signature, and they are set to battle Chelsea.

Falk on Bayern’s interest in Murillo

While speaking about the German giants’ interest in the Corinthians graduate, Falk said: “It is TRUE: Bayern Munich have added Murillo to their shortlist. This is because they don’t know what’s going to happen with their own defensive talent in the near future.

“Murillo is on this list. He’s been doing very, very well in the Premier League. Forest, of course, gave him a new contract in January in part because Real Madrid were looking at him.

“Bayern can imagine bringing the 23-year-old centre-back into the squad.

“However, his transfer fee won’t be an easy one for FC Bayern. We suspect it’ll be over €50m [£43.5m] that they would have to pay, but one advantage is that he doesn’t have a particularly high salary at the moment, so he would fit well into the Bayern squad.

“Bayern, however, are not alone; I heard that Chelsea are also interested. Nonetheless, he could be a good option for Bayern Munich.”

Bayern Munich to push for Murillo

The Bundesliga champions are looking for more quality at the back, amidst uncertainty around a few of their central defenders. Dayot Upamecano’s contract is running out at the end of the season, and a new deal looks very unlikely at this stage.

Murillo could come in to replace him. Even if Upamecano extends his stay at the club, Kim Min-jae could be on the move next summer, and the Brazilian defender could help them cope with his absence.

While his wages won’t be a problem for Bayern, it would require a significant fee to get him out of Nottingham. Falk believes the German club might have to fork out around £43.5 million to prise him away from City Ground. Chelsea could certainly have an advantage given their superior financial strength.