Liverpool will need to offer £70m+ to lure Virgil van Dijk replacement to Anfield | OneFootball

Liverpool have been told that they will need to pay at least £70m next summer to bring Nottingham Forest star Murillo to Anfield.

The Brazilian has been with Nottingham Forest since last summer after completing a deal worth around £15m with Corinthians.

The defender has since been a key part of the Premier League club’s success and has started in all 11 games for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team this season. The 22-year-old continues to go from strength to strength at the City Ground and that has attracted several top clubs from around Europe.

According to Football Insider, Forest will reject any approaches for Murillo in January as they want to keep the centre-back for the rest of the campaign, however, next summer may be a different story.

Real Madrid are one club that are showing an interest in Murillo as they want to strengthen their defensive options ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, while their La Liga rivals Barcelona are also said to be keen.

Football insider reports that Nottingham Forest want more than £70m for the Brazilian next summer, with sources telling the outlet that the Premier League club feel that his exit from the City Ground is inevitable.

Murillo scores for Nottingham Forest vs Newcastle. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Liverpool eye up Murillo as potential Virgil van Dijk replacement

Sources told CaughtOffside last week that Liverpool are also interested in Murillo ahead of the 2025 summer transfer window as the Reds view the 22-year-old as the long-term replacement for captain Virgil van Dijk.

The Dutch centre-back turns 34 next year and is also out of contract at Anfield at the end of the current campaign.

If a new contract is agreed between Liverpool and Van Dijk, it will only be a short-term deal, which paves a path for Murillo to enter the Reds’ starting 11.

It remains uncertain where the Nottingham Forest star will end up for the 2025/26 campaign but what is guaranteed is that whoever signs the Brazilian talent, will have to part ways with a large sum of money to get a deal done.