What Murillo must do next if he wants to become a Nottingham Forest legend

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Roy Keane burst into the limelight at Forest before moving on to become a Premier League great, but before leaving he showed his loyalty to the club.

Keane praised Brian Clough for helping him settle in England after signing from Cobh Ramblers in Ireland at only 19 years old, but his maturity on the pitch meant his age was barely noticeable for onlooking fans.

A similar feeling was present upon Murillo’s arrival from Corinthians in 2023. Steve Cooper was amazed by Murillo’s Forest debut display in October 2023 and such amazement has only continued from fans at the City Ground as the Brazilian matures into one of the Premier League’s elite defenders.

It’s no surprise then that some of Europe’s top clubs have begun to keep tabs on the Forest star as Liverpool registered interest in Murillo in January, acting more as a warning for Evangelos Marinakis that he will have his work cut out to keep the Brazilian defender at Forest long-term.

This will be especially difficult if elite clubs from abroad come calling, which isn’t out of the question as Real Madrid have scouted Murillo this season. Madrid also showed interest in Keane when he was starring for Forest, something that the Irish star gave a defiant response to.

Roy Keane didn’t entertain interest from Real Madrid whilst at Nottingham Forest

After moving to Manchester United and becoming one of the league’s most iconic players, Keane was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame to further cement his legacy.

However, his stay in English football threatened to be rather short as Real Madrid took a liking to Keane’s abilities at Forest.

Keane was asked about their interest in a Sky Sports interview at the time, where he defiantly showed his loyalty to Clough and the club.

He said: “I’m under contract for another season and a half and I’ve discussed a new contract at Forest and, you know, if I get the right deal I’m prepared to stay because to me this is the best club in England.

“[Forest have the] Best coaching staff, best manager and I’m still learning my trade, I’m only 21 and have a lot to learn and I don’t think I’ll learn in a better place than under Brian Clough.”

Nottingham pocketed a British record fee for Roy Keane

Whilst he went on to become a legend in the North West, Keane admitted he doesn’t follow United or Forest as a fan. One thing he did do to further boost his reputation in the Forest fan base though was to secure a colossal payday for the club.

Manchester United paid a British record transfer fee of £3.75m for Keane and whilst he had already cemented himself in Forest history for his performances, this transfer further emphasised his important role for the club.

Fast forward to 2025, the Reds find themselves in a potentially identical situation with Murillo, with the intention being for Marinakis to demand another record fee.

Murillo signed a new Forest contract in January which kept him as an undroppable cog in Nuno Espirito Santo’s side but also protected the club in the seemingly inevitable event that a big bid comes in.

Marinakis isn’t one to be ripped off so Forest will demand a world record fee for a defender for Murillo in any negotiations, emphasising that the Brazilian could well continue to follow the path that Keane set out when he left Forest in 1993.