Chelsea’s issues with injuries in their defence are nothing new. It was the same story last season and has continued in this one as well. It is widely known by now that the Blues will be without Levi Colwill for the majority of this campaign, if not all of it, as the centre-back picked up an ACL injury before the campaign started.
Chelsea brought in Jorrel Hato from Ajax in the summer transfer window as the only defensive reinforcement. Despite Enzo Maresca’s clear keenness, the Blues decided against signing another centre-back to further strengthen that area.
As a result, the manager is juggling with different combinations almost every other matchday and has yet to find his pair of choice. Will their poor start to the campaign finally lead to Chelsea make an addition at centre-back?
Reports have now emerged suggesting that Chelsea already have multiple defensive options on their radar for future transfers. According to Fichajes, the Blues are closely monitoring Murillo's development and are willing to compete directly with Bayern Munich for his signature.
Chelsea keeping a close eye on Nottingham Forest defender
Murillo joined Nottingham Forest in 2023 from Corinthians. Since then, he has appeared in as many as 80 matches for the club. In the ongoing season, he has managed 5 starts for Ange Postecoglou's side.
Murillo is currently just 23 years old, so he can develop into a top player in his position moving forward. The Brazilian centre-back is already considered one of the best in the Premier League outside one of the traditional big six clubs.
But all things considered, Murillo has a contract running till 2029 with Nottingham Forest. So Chelsea might have to dig deep into their pockets if they want to secure the player. Moreover, Bayern Munich are also interested, which could result in a tug of war.
Apart from Murillo, there are other candidates who might be available in the market, like Marc Guehi, who is expected to become a free agent in the summer. The English international could potentially be another candidate to look out for although it has been suggested that Chelsea are not eager to bring him back to Stamford Bridge.