Nottingham Forest fans will be forever indebted to Evangelos Marinakis for sanctioning the signing of Murillo from Corinthians but the Brazilian also believes he has something to thank Marinakis for.
Forest paid a reported £14m for Murillo in what can now be looked back on as an absolute bargain deal for Marinakis, with the Brazilian centre-back only briefly making an impact at Corinthians.
His impact at the City Ground has been astounding, though, as Murillo has become statistically one of the best in Europe, thanks to his imperious displays at the back for Nuno Espirito Santo.
Luckily for Reds fans, Murillo signed a new contract at Forest that will keep him at the club until 2029, not that this will stop his potential suitors from making their moves to secure European football’s premier defensive prospect.
It was Forest’s win away at Liverpool that convinced Murillo of his City Ground future, but a recent interview with the 22-year-old has revealed that a decision Marinakis made has transformed the trajectory of the whole club.
Murillo credits Nuno Espirito Santo appointment in Nottingham Forest transformation
Steve Cooper was in charge of Forest when Murillo arrived at the club, but a second season of relegation threat saw Forest sack Cooper in December 2023, paving the way for Espirito Santo to arrive.
Initially keeping Forest up, the Portuguese coach now has Forest challenging for a Champions League place, something that Murillo is giving him full credit for.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Murillo said: “I believe that our results are a reflection of the choices the board made in the past. We have a coach and his technical team who understand each athlete’s individual characteristics.”
Gary Neville predicted Espirito Santo would keep Forest up after his appointment, but few could’ve expected the impact he has had one the Forest squad, let alone Murillo, who is clearly a huge admirer of his manager.
Espirito Santo thinks Murillo can still improve, which must be a frightening prospect for Forest’s Premier League rivals given his incredible partnership with Nikola Milenkovic is already hard enough to beat.
However, it’s worth remembering that the Brazilian wasn’t immediately expected to be as brilliant as he has been, something he reflected on in the interview.
Murillo reflects on the early stages of his Nottingham Forest career
It’s hard to think of the defender as anything other than a player who was destined for Premier League greatness, especially given that Jamie Redknapp immediately thought Murillo was a bargain.
Murillo never took anything for granted, though, saying: “I understood that when I arrived here, when I was signed, people didn’t know me very well, and because I had played very little at Corinthians.
“My agent explained to me that my signing was a gamble that Nottingham Forest was taking on me, and that I had to prove to them every day that this gamble would be worth it.
“And as I started playing and standing out, helping the team and earning my place, I felt that this contract renewal was kind of a recognition for everything that was happening. It’s a gratifying thing for me, as it’s a reflection that I’m doing a good job.”
Forest will demand a world record fee for Murillo to even consider selling after he signed the contract extension, highlighting how valuable the Brazilian has become after such a short time in English football.
His humble, unassuming nature makes it even more incredible, though, with Espirito Santo’s impact only a small part of why Forest fans adore their defensive superstar.
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