Barcelona, Arsenal and Liverpool in race to sign 21-year-old PL star whose current club may be forced to sell: Reports
Barcelona, Arsenal, and Liverpool are three of several European giants reportedly on red alert as Nottingham Forest may be forced to sell Brazilian defender Murillo.
The Daily Mail reports that Forest face a fight to keep hold of Murillo after being hit with a four-point deduction. They were punished for breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules and could have to cut ties with several first-team stars.
Murillo has been a standout performer for the Tricky Trees this season, appearing 27 times across competitions. He's helped Nuno Espirito Santo's side keep four clean sheets while chipping in with an assist.
The former Corinthians center-back has attracted plenty of interest, including from within the Premier League. Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Newcastle United have been monitoring his progress at the City Ground.
However, Murillo has also garnered the attention of La Liga giants Barcelona and Ligue 1 heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain. Forest may need to sell one of their top stars this summer and the young Brazilian could be offloaded.
Murillo joined Forest from Corinthians last summer in a reported £15 million deal. He's quickly become a fan favorite with consistent performances for the relegation battlers.
Arsenal and Liverpool may be looking to bolster their defenses this summer to consolidate their standing as title challengers. The Gunners have been without summer signing Jurrien Timber this season while the Merseysiders have dealt with Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip's fitness issues.
Barcelona could look to swoop for Murillo but will need to be wary of financial issues of their own. The Catalan giants have the likes of Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde to call upon but there are question marks over Andreas Christensen's future.
Arsenal, Liverpool, and Barcelona could reportedly battle it out for Atalanta's Ederson
Arsenal, Liverpool, and Barcelona could also be pursuing another Brazilian as they appear to have Atalanta midfielder Ederson on their radar.
Reports claim the three European heavyweights make up a long list of clubs keeping tabs on Ederson, 24. He's excelled in Serie A this season, with six goals and one assist in 36 games across competitions.
Ederson has earned one cap for Brazil's U20s and has earned rave reviews with his performances this season. He has two years left on his contract and could be available for around €50 million (£42.7 million).
The creative midfielder's former Corinthians manager Tiago Nunes gave a glowing verdict when speaking in January. He said (via Sky Sports):
"He has two main strengths. Firstly, on the pitch, he ahs great physical strength, with the ability to play box-to-box, back and forth, sustaining the pace of the game. Secondly, he has a very strong mentality, with a very clear awareness of what he wants."
Arsenal, Liverpool, and Barcelona are joined in pursuing Ederson by the likes of Manchester United, Newcastle, Tottenham and AC and Inter Milan. He could be one to watch this summer as European clubs look to strengthen their midfield.