Nottingham Forest struck gold on their new Johnson

Nuno Espirito Santo will be hoping that his Nottingham Forest side can put their disappointment of losing the FA Cup semi-final to good use in returning to Premier League action full of fight.

After all, Forest only find themselves outside of the coveted top five positions in the division on goal difference, with clashes to come in May giving them the perfect opportunity to clinch Champions League football over rivals Chelsea and Aston Villa.

To confirm a spot amongst Europe’s elite, however, the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers boss will know he needs everyone performing at their optimum, with Murillo needing to put in even more dominant displays at the back to ensure victories are forthcoming.

Murillo’s impressive season at Forest so far

The City Ground hasn’t had the reputation this season for producing jaw-dropping spectacles in terms of goals, with a low 24 goals being scored in total by the Tricky Trees across 16 home contests.

But, the resilient defensive displays consistently on show will have pleased the Forest masses watching on, away from the entertainment levels being hit-and-miss, with Murillo in the heart of the defence constantly leading by example.

The Sao Paulo-born centre-back is the dictionary definition of a player who plays with his heart on his sleeve, leading to Murillo averaging a hefty 6.7 clearances on average this season in the Premier League.

Collecting 11 clean sheets across 32 league outings too, the £15m once forked out on his signature back in the summer of 2023 continues to look like an unbelievable bargain, with the 22-year-old’s valuation now standing at a whopping £46m as per Transfermarkt.

Forest will aim to hold onto Murillo for as long as they can, with another top performer for the season unfortunately tipped to move away from Nottingham as Manchester City come sniffing about.

The “sensational” star who could be Forest’s next Johnson

This wouldn’t be new territory for the Garibaldis if another of their standout figures were to up and leave for more luxurious pastures, considering Brennan Johnson departed the club in September of 2023 for a chance at Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs would have to cough up a significant £47.5m to land the tricky Welshman, but that price tag was more than justified when you take into account Johnson’s eight-goal heroics during Forest’s debut season back amongst the top tier’s elite.

Well, Morgan Gibbs-White could soon follow Johnson’s upward trajectory if reports are to be believed, with Manchester City – the side who just knocked Forest out of the FA Cup – reportedly eyeing up a move for another of Espirito Santo’s standout talents.

talkSPORT have previously suggested that it would take a ridiculous fee of £100m for Forest to consider parting ways with their classy number ten, though, meaning he’s now worth even more than the aforementioned warrior figure of Murillo, and for good reason.

The former Wolves youth product turned Tricky Trees royalty has really come into his own this campaign, with the explosive attacking midfielder up to a stunning 14 goal contributions in all competitions, leading to Pep Guardiola and Co circling.

Purchased for just £25m from Wolves, Gibbs-White is yet another example in Espirito Santo’s camp of smart and well-thought-out buys paying off in the long-term, with Murillo’s original £15m price-tag looking like peanuts too.

Of course, the Champions League chasers will want to keep their “sensational” – as he’s been previously lauded by football writer Louis Wheeldon – midfielder around for as long as possible.

But, the allure of the Etihad could prove too strong to turn down, particularly if Forest slip up in their pursuit of the top five.

Related

Just imagine him & Gibbs-White: Nottingham Forest keen on signing £30m star

Nottingham Forest could be about to make a huge signing that would take Morgan Gibbs-White to the next level.