Chelsea failed with January approach for £80m-rated Premier League defender | OneFootball

Chelsea's hunt for a centre-back during the recently closed January transfer window is reported to have included a failed approach for Nottingham Forest revelation Murillo.

Murillo joined Forest from Corinthians in 2023, having made fewer than 30 senior appearances in Brazilian football, playing a key part in Forest successfully fighting relegation last season and now remarkably challenging for Champions League qualification.

The 22-year-old commanded a £15m transfer fee when he arrived in England. But he has been rated at £80m in recent months and is a leading example of Forest's excellent recruitment since learning from the expensive mistakes of their 2022/23 campaign.

Chelsea have been suitably impressed by Murillo, with the Daily Telegraph revealing that the Blues targeted the Brazilian "early" in the January window.

Murillo was unknown when he joined Forest in 2023 / Warren Little/GettyImages

It would have been a "record sale" for Forest – therefore at least in excess of the £47.5m that Brennan Johnson was sold for in 2023 – yet owner Evangelos Marinakis "refused to consider" cashing in. Instead, Forest’s efforts during January were focused on keep their high-achieving squad together in the hope of a highest league finish since placing third in 1994/95.

Chelsea lost Wesley Fofana to a fresh injury setback at the start of January, with Axel Disasi not favoured by Enzo Maresca even after that and eventually allowed to leave on loan on deadline day, which may have explained their interest in recruiting a centre-back.

Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, sold by the Blues for £18m in 2021 and the subject of a sizeable bid from Tottenham Hotspur late in the window, was considered. Trevoh Chalobah was recalled from his Palace loan on 15 January, which is likely to have come after being knocked back over Murillo.

In addition to Chalobah, Chelsea have Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo and Josh Acheampong as their fit and available centre-backs. Benoit Badiashile is nursing a thigh injury and could return this month. Aaron Anselmino has also linked up with the squad but is yet to be assigned a shirt number.