Liverpool ready with aggressive offer to keep Brazil star away from Real Madrid

Liverpool are preparing to table a lucrative financial package to beat Real Madrid to the signature of Nottingham Forest’s Brazilian centre-back Murillo, as the Premier League champions accelerate their long-term defensive rebuild.

With Ibrahima Konate expected to depart on a free transfer in 2026 and both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez entering the final year of their contracts in 2027, sporting director Richard Hughes has already begun reshaping the back line. Last summer’s £26 million capture of 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni from Parma will be followed in July by the arrival of Rennes prodigy Jeremy Jacquet for £62 million, but senior Anfield figures acknowledge that an injection of proven top-flight experience is now required.

Murillo, 23, has emerged as the prime candidate. The left-sided defender signed a new long-term deal at the City Ground in early 2025, tying him to Forest until 2029, yet his consistent performances amid the club’s relegation battle have intensified interest from Europe’s elite. Spanish outlet Fichajes reports that Real Madrid currently lead the chase, but Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United are ready to “blow the Spaniards out of the water” with what is described as a “mammoth” salary offer designed to keep the player in England.

The Brazil international’s profile fits Liverpool’s tactical blueprint perfectly: he combines front-foot aggression with composure in possession and is comfortable stepping into midfield, attributes that align with the high defensive lines and proactive pressing systems favoured at Anfield. Despite Forest’s ongoing struggles near the bottom of the table, Murillo has established himself as the team’s defensive leader, attracting admiring glances from data departments and scouts across the continent.

Forest are under no immediate pressure to sell, yet a premium fee is anticipated should the defender push for a move this summer. Liverpool’s willingness to make an aggressive financial move signals their determination to secure a ready-made successor to Van Dijk while fending off competition from domestic and European heavyweights.

Murillo was first linked with Merseyside during the closing weeks of the 2023-24 campaign. Although he opted to remain in the East Midlands and extend his contract, the expectation is that the upcoming transfer window will present the most realistic opportunity for clubs to prise him away. With Hughes overseeing a strategic overhaul designed to safeguard Liverpool’s defensive future, the battle for Murillo’s signature is poised to become one of the summer’s most hotly contested sagas.