Revealed: Chelsea FAILED with record January bid
Chelsea reportedly attempted to sign Nottingham Forest defender Murillo during the January transfer window, but the Blues were unable to reach an agreement for the Brazilian.
Murillo, 22, has played a key role for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side so far this season and he is a key reason why they are currently third in the Premier League table.
His form at the City Ground has attracted transfer interest from numerous top clubs around Europe and Chelsea are one of his biggest admirers.
Maresca pleads for Chelsea ‘patience’ as fans demand new striker
In fact, The Telegraph have revealed that Chelsea were targeting a move for Murillo in early January, but Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis “refused to consider what would have been a record sale.”
Chelsea were reportedly prepared to pay a fee in excess of the €55 million spent by Tottenham Hotspur to sign Brennan Johnson in 2023, but Forest were determined to keep hold of the Brazilian amid their push for Champions League football.
Murillo has started 23 of Forest’s 24 league matches so far this campaign and he recently committed his long-term future to the club by signing a new contract that runs until 2029.
Following news of his fresh deal at the City Ground, Murillo’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has skyrocketed to a career high of €65.7m.
Premier League January transfers 2025 – All the Done Deals
Chelsea’s January business
After failing to agree a deal for Murillo, Chelsea were unusually quiet during the January transfer window, with Saint-Etienne midfielder Mathis Amougou their only new arrival.
Trevoh Chalobah was also recalled from his loan spell at Crystal Palace and a deal was agreed to sign Strasbourg defender Mamadou Sarr this summer.
Meanwhile, Ben Chilwell (Crystal Palace), Renato Veiga (Juventus), Joao Felix (AC Milan), Axel Disasi (Aston Villa), Carney Chukwuemeka (Borussia Dortmund), Caleb Wiley (Watford), Alex Matos (Oxford) and Jimmy-Jay Morgan (Gillingham) were all sent out on loan.
In addition, Cesare Casadei was sold to Torino for €13m and Harvey Vale joined QPR for an undisclosed fee.
